Sculpture trail unveiled

Adding sculptures to a new walking trail near Riordan Hall could only have happened because the city of Bella Vista and the Bella Vista Property Owners Association work well together, a sentiment echoed by both Bella Vista Mayor John Flynn and POA Chief Operating Officer Tom Judson.

The two spoke at an unveiling event on Thursday, May 11, where three new sculptures along the Bluebird Trail were introduced to the public.

The Bluebird Trail, located behind Phat Tire and Hull Dermatology on Riordan Road, is a half mile, paved loop that includes a pavilion with a playground coming soon and now three new sculptures. The POA owns the land, which was once part of the Berksdale Golf Course, but the sculptures were placed by the Bella Vista Arts Council, which is part of the city.

There are sculpture trails all over the United States, Arts Council President Demara Titzer said. She spent a year researching similar projects and reported that the people involved were all helpful during the research period.

The city will lease the three sculptures for one year, she said. They are for sale and can be purchased and donated to the city so they can stay in place. They can also be purchased and moved to a new location.

“The sculptures will change each year,” she explained. “It gives the artists the opportunity to have their work seen and potentially purchased.”

She didn’t find any artists in Bella Vista who produce appropriate sculptures, so all three artists come from outside the city. The Arts Council has used local artists in the past for murals and mosaic projects at the library and on other areas of the trails.

All three sculptures are located on the east end of the trails. The POA decided on placement, Titzer said, and the organization wanted the project visible from Highway 71 and out of the flood plain.

“This is a great example of the community working together,” Judson said. He reminded the audience that the Razorback Greenway, a paved trail that links all the cities in Northwest Arkansas from Fayetteville to Bella Vista, will soon be connected to the Bluebird Trailhead.

“The council, the city and the POA work together well,” Flynn said. “Art is important.”

Lynn Atkins/Specal to The Weekly Vista Demara Titzer (third from right), who is the president of the Arts Council, speaks at the site of the newest art installations. Standing with her are (from left) JB Portillo, a member of the Property Owners Association board and the Arts Council; POA Chief Operating Officer Tom Judson; Bella Vista Mayor John Flynn; and artists Doug Cox and Jorge Leyva.

Lynn Atkins/Special to The Weekly Vista Doug Cox said he used his own rescue dogs and cats as models for his sculpture "Do Something Good with your Super Powers." He reminded the audience to adopt pets from a shelter.

Lynn Atkins/Special to The Weekly Vista Jorge Leyva, of Joplin, Mo., said his piece “Red House” celebrates community.