steel umbrella by margaret jacobs and justin o'rourke

public art commission located on the mascoma river greenway in lebanon, nh

click here to read the full press release.

artist statement:

This piece follows in the tradition of honoring everyday objects. An umbrella alludes to the idea that the Mascoma River Greenway is a recreational opportunity that the public can use year-round, rain or shine. It is natural to relate umbrellas to rain and water, which brings up the discussion of climate change, environmental protection, and human impact on both.

The crook is constructed from railroad spikes collected from the trail and yellow polka dots accent the canopy of the umbrella. As well as complementing the color of the steel, the dots give a nod to the rare spotted turtle, an imperiled NH species found in the vicinity of the Rail Trail in 2013.

We hope this piece is a fun and enjoyable landmark for everyone using the Mascoma River Greenway!

adapt by margaret jacobs, mohawk, and geo neptune, passamaquoddy

powder coated steel, black ash, sweetgrass

artist statement:

“As artists from weaving cultures that heavily depend on the ash tree, we wanted to see if we could combine our mediums to make a new kind of basket; a basket that would last and be seen after our trees are taken by the Emerald Ash Borer. By combining our mediums of steel and black ash, we can work to help preserve our weaving traditions for future generations.”