The Woodlands Art Council unveils 4 new art benches

The Woodlands Arts Council unveiled four new art benches during a Dec. 3 ceremony, adding to the 38 benches and bike racks found throughout The Woodlands.

The details

The four new benches were presented to community members by the art pieces' sponsors for the benches. Each underwriter worked with a designer to create a personal vision which represented a variety of concepts.

The new pieces are:

Brow Ridge: The bench resembles a geometric face with its eyes closed. Underwriter Amy Cope-Gibbs said the bench represented peace and inner reflection, and wished individuals felt a "sense of connection with nature."

• Artist: Cricket Forge
• Underwriters: Amy Cope-Gibbs & Jon Gibbs
• Location: Rob Fleming Park pond area

Critter Creature: Designed to resemble a colorful caterpillar, the bench was sponsored by The Woodlands Young Learners Academy and is meant to inspire creativity and imagination in children.

• Artists: Jake Heffington, Emily Fielder and Liz Braaksma
• Underwriter: The Woodlands Young Learners Academy
• Location: Northshore Park

Flight to the Sun: This bench, in remembrance of Jon D. Kingsley, Sr, depicts a jet flying into the distance. Underwriter Tawna Kingsley said she wanted a place where their family could gather and feel close to their loved one.

• Artist: Jonathon Chandler
• Underwriter: Tawna Kingsley
• Location: Northshore Park

Windswept Oak: Made with a majority of recycled materials, this bench depicts a tree in the wind along The Woodlands Waterway. According to Rob and Cindy Hardin, the bench is meant to convey the importance of nature within a person's everyday life.

• Artist: Jonathon Chandler
• Underwriters: Rob and Cindy Hardin
• Location: Town Green Park

In their words

• "Many of The Woodlands public art pieces become the backdrops for life's biggest moments: marriage proposals, family photos and some of the simplest," said Deborah Kaschik, owner of The Young Learners Academy in The Woodlands. "A child enjoying a library book, a shared conversation with a neighbor, or even guided tours with friends or coordinated by diverse groups of organizations."
• "The four new art benches are a welcome addition to the over 80 pieces of public art found throughout our beautiful hometown," TWAC Executive Director Jenny Carattini-Wright said. "We are grateful for our partnership with The Woodlands Township and Howard Hughes making this program possible."