Downtown Sculpture to be Dedicated Saturday

A long awaited art installation in downtown Saline will be dedicated to the community on Saturday morning, during the Saline Harvest of the Arts Festival. The sculpture, titled “Seats of Our Heritage,” which will also serve as public seating.

The art was created by artist Rick DeTroyer of Chelsea, and was funded partly by the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs and the Saline Economic Development Corporation.

“The idea for creating new art and seating for the downtown was born when Mayor Gretchen Driskell went to our sister city, Lindenberg, Germany,” said Lynne Friman, member of the Saline Arts and Culture Commission. “She was inspired by the unique seating that she saw in their downtown, then challenged the Arts and Culture Committee to come to develop something for Saline.”

The art piece is a compilation of Saline’s agriculture and industrial history. The seats are from actual farm equipment donated from area farms. Welded into the arch are symbols from the city of Saline’s seal. They include wheat, to represent the farmer; the transit, which was a tool used by Saline founder Orange Risdon in his work; an automotive wheel to represent a source of employment for many of Saline’s citizens; a wagon wheel denoting Saline’s early days as a hub in Detroit-Chicago shipping, and a tree which represents the harmonious growth of both agriculture and industry. A rope encircles the elements as a symbol of strength and character the city draws from its citizens.

DeTroyer is a well known artist with public art seen in many places throughout southeastern Michigan. “Seats of Our Heritage” is made of metal, tractor seats, and other found objects, which are DeTroyer‘s specialty.

“Recycling is a big part of my art,” he said. “I try to practice what I preach by using found objects in my work. They tell a story of their own, along with adding character to art. When I see a design in my mind, I try to shape it into reality. My hands seem to know what to do when I cut, hammer and weld metal.”

The dedication of “Seats of Our Heritage” will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. The piece is located in downtown Saline, just north of Michigan Avenue on North Ann Arbor Street.

Speaking at the dedication will be Saline Mayor Gretchen Driskell, Lynne Friman from the Saline Arts & Culture Commission, and artist Rick DeTroyer. Speakers will be followed by an official ribbon cutting by Mayor Driskell. For more information contact the City of Saline, 734-429-4907. To find out more about artist Rick DeTroyer, visit his website at www.ricksironart.com.

 (This press release was submitted by the Saline Arts and Culture Commission)