Artist Created Park Amenities

For many, visual arts are an untouchable medium, to be kept behind velvet ropes and glass and creating an austere atmosphere in what should be an environment of emotion and curiosity. For many, experiencing art is almost chore-like, especially for children. It is no coincidence that studies show far higher rates of social diversity and visit frequency among visitors of science museums, in which the exhibits are often interactive and not reliant upon the advanced interpretative skills needed for their artistic counterparts. The often imposing nature of art galleries make them unappealing to those less versed in artistic decoding, both children and adults alike, and will continue to inhibit inter-generational cultural mobility.

While parental encouragement is key in acclimatizing children to the arts, Livable Buckhead believes creating approachable and touchable art is an important to breaking down barriers to begin the journey of artistic appreciation. One of the ways we are working to incorporate public art throughout the Buckhead community, is introducing it through the features in our greenspace. In addition to the amazing murals being incorporated into PATH400, Livable Buckhead is working with local artists, as well as corporate and residential volunteers to visual arts into local parks.

The first of these projects was completed in October 2019. In partnership with Salesforce, the cloud-based software company with offices in Buckhead, Livable Buckhead worked with local Atlanta artist Christina Ward, who created the design for four picnic tables in Old Ivy Park. The designs were sketched onto the tables and volunteers from Salesforce painted them under the direction of the artist.

Livable Buckhead’s most recent project involved five picnic tables in Mountain Way Common Park. On August 1, 2020, Livable Buckhead, Pebble Tossers, Friends of Mountain Way Common and a group of dedicated volunteers came out for a sunny and fun Saturday morning to help create works of art for Mountain Way Common visitors (masks required of course).

Atlanta-based artist Wallace Kelly created the design on the five tables, while Livable Buckhead’s executive director Denise Starling built them in her garage in her spare time. The painting was an extraordinary opportunity to promote community involvement, encourage art in public spaces, and build teamwork while making an immediate and tangible impact in the community.