City of Kettering selects Virginia Kistler for ArtLocal Public Art Commission
The City of Kettering CitySites Public Art Program is proud to announce the selection of Virginia Kistler for the inaugural ArtLocal public art commission. Kistler will create a new public artwork, in collaboration with residents of Kettering, to be installed in Oak Park this spring 2018.
Kistler is commissioned through ArtLocal, a new CitySites initiative using art and creative thinking in localized public spaces throughout the city of Kettering. Through hands-on workshops, dialogues with residents and special events, ArtLocal will facilitate community participation in the development of collaborative permanent artwork in public spaces, such as neighborhood parks. ArtLocal is managed by Rosewood Arts Centre and the City of Kettering’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department.
Kistler will be leading activities with the community this fall, including on Make a Difference Day in partnership with the Cities of Service program in Kettering, taking place on Saturday, October 28.
Kistler received her MFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design and has recently completed commissioned artworks for the Dayton Metro Library, the Lincoln Motor Company and the City of Columbus. She is an interdisciplinary artist working primarily in sculpture and photography while using a variety of media—laser cut rubber, CNC router-cut plastic, and 3D printed plastic. Her work focuses on the ubiquity of urban landscapes and the absence of biodiverse spaces. She has shown work both nationally and internationally.
“I record impressions as a way of understanding changing landscapes and as a way to investigate their past and future,” Kistler said of her work. “My process involves historical research, interviewing community members and site visits to gain an understanding of the community and environment. I use 3D computer modeling as a way to create ‘concept sketches’ and as a way to work through the ideation process.”
Support for this project is made possible by CitySites, the Community Foundation for Kettering and the Ohio Arts Council. In its inaugural year, ArtLocal will work closely with Cities of Service (COS), a City of Kettering program dedicated to innovative ways to harness the power of volunteers and address critical city needs.
