Ahead of the unveiling of six new art benches in October, The Woodland Arts Council released a preview of two of the new additions to The Woodlands’ public art scene on Aug. 30. Phase 3 of the Art Bench Project will add six new pieces to the Art Bench Collection installed by The Woodlands Township, along The Woodlands Waterway and in Hughes Landing, bringing the total collection to 20 benches. All Art Bench pieces were selected by the Art Bench Committee. “We wish to thank all of the talented artists who submitted artwork for this phase of the project, along with our generous underwriters and the members of the Art Bench Committee,” TWAC Art Bench Committee Chair Theresa Terrell said in a statement. “We also extend our gratitude to The Woodlands Township for their help with site selection and installation as well as maintenance of the bench collection, and Howard Hughes Corporation for allowing us to choose magnificent sites in some of the most visible and scenic locales in our community.” Two of the new pieces include “Proud Souls” by Artist Gaston Carrio of Houston, which will be installed along The Woodlands Waterway, and “Leaf Vein Bench” by Artist Owen Dixon of Peterborough, Ontario, to be installed in Hughes Landing. “I envisioned this bench as a place for individuals to reconnect and recharge with each other; a place to rest and reflect on the people and the community who support and inspired them,” Carrio said in a statement. “The Woodlands itself is a symbol of success. My hope is that this bench serves as a tribute to such triumph, the wings like arms reaching up to the sky in victory.” “Proud Souls” was underwritten by Memorial Hermann-The Woodlands Medical Center, which the council said was instrumental in selecting the bench sites and final bench designs. Josh Urban, senior vice president and CEO of Memorial Hermann-The Woodlands Medical Center, said the medical center was the recipient of the Memorial Hermann Health System’s President Cup Award—an international recognition honoring the highest achieving hospital in the system—which enabled them to underwrite the art bench. “With the money received from this award, we looking into a way to give back to the community and making a contribution to the Art Bench Project through TWAC seemed like a perfect opportunity,” Urban said in a statement. “The bench went above and beyond our expectations and we can’t wait to unveil it to our community.” “Leaf Vein Bench” was underwritten by Jeff and Deborah Coburn. “Our goal for the art bench is to demonstrate that human creativity, expressed through art, can be incorporated into everyday life,” the Coburns said in a statement. “We see the designs as the intersection of the buildings and the natural aspects of The Woodlands, both expressed in the wood-grained concrete bench and the dendritic veins of a leaf.” TWAC is currently seeking underwriters for Phase 4 of the project through the end of 2018. This phase will include the installation of five to six additional benches in October 2019. For more information about the Art Bench Project, click here.