The growth of the public art movement in Michigan's Great Southwest has made its way to downtown Baroda. With regular displays in waterfront parks by a broad array of artists curated by the Krasl Art Center, and the more whimsical Public Art campaign sponsored each summer by the City of St. Joseph, public art is seemingly always a simple turn of the head away to residents and visitors alike. Now, that movement is portrayed along Baroda's main drag.
The Village of Baroda installed the base for its first display of public art last Thursday, December 1st, and the art went up a short while later in front of the Village and Township offices in downtown Baroda. In one regard the new sculpture also represents industry and commerce in the region.
On hand for the event were Village President Bob Getz, Village Clerk (and Baroda Area Business Association President) Tina Boehm, the artist himself, Jim Small, Wendie Shafer and Brenda Troxell representing the Township, Larry Martin and his crew from Fence Masters LLC, and Greta Hurst of Tabula Rasa Gallery both of whom are Baroda Area Business Association Trustees.
After seeking approval from both the Township and Village for placement of art in November, a swift effort from the Baroda Area Business Association’s Board made every effort to get the art piece erected in time for the Christmas in the Village event, held Sunday, December 4th.
Jim Small, a long time resident of Baroda, created the sculpture last year. He said it took approximately two weeks to construct. It is made from corvette pipes that “didn’t make the cut” to be installed on the vehicles during assembly. Owner of Corvette Central in Sawyer, Jerry Kohn, gave Small permission to take them after the artist stopped and inquired about them.
Baroda's new art piece is approximately 9 ½ feet tall and is secured by a 2×3 foot cement slab that was leveled in the ground by the team at Fence Masters.
The sculpture will reside in front of the municipal building until December 1, 2017, when the original owner of the pipes, Jerry Kohn, will take it back to be permanently on display at Corvette Central in the Harbor Country community of Sawyer.
The Baroda Area Business Association says they have been brainstorming on the public art initiative for the past couple of years and are very excited to see it come to fruition. They have reached out to several other local artists to keep the momentum going. However, if you are interested in becoming part of that endeavor, you are welcome to reach out to them for more information regarding the public art initiative in the Village of Baroda at www.ilovebaroda.com.
