February 12, 2021
Macon Arts Alliance and the Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority are pleased to announce the completion of Macon’s first ‘Art Stop’ at the intersection of Cherry Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in downtown Macon. The work was generously funded by Downtown Challenge 2019, a project of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia. The Downtown Challenge Fund was made possible thanks to generous grants from the Peyton Anderson Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
About Macon Arts Alliance
A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held Friday, February 12 at 2 pm at the Art Stop location on the corner of MLK and Cherry.
Titled “Diversity in Motion,” the work was designed and fabricated by Macon artist Jim Bodell of JR Bodell Sculpture, Inc.
“The tall sculptural element on the right represents a vortex pulling colors up, then spilling them over into the horizontal plane at the back of the bus stop,” Bodell explained. “I used various shapes and colors and created the illusion of the spheres floating in space to reflect the diversity of people and modes of transportation in our community,” he said. “I hope this work will enliven the core of the city and also establish one more landmark reference for Macon.”
“The intent of the project was to use public art to improve the visual appeal of a bus shelter in the urban core”, said Julie Wilkerson, Executive Director of Macon Arts Alliance. “This intersection is a highly visible gateway to downtown and the installation conveys to residents, visitors, and bus riders alike that Macon is a creative community”.
“Art and transit have something in common, they both move people,” said Weston Stroud, Transit Planner for Macon-Bibb Transit Authority. “The purpose of this initiative is to reclaim public infrastructure and design it for rider experience as well as function. For someone who is transit dependent, transit, like art, is invaluable so we believe the union between art and transit will resonate with riders and passersby alike.”
Macon Arts Alliance fosters support for the advancement of arts and culture in Central Georgia. We strive to be an innovative leader of a thriving regional arts community. We value strategic partnerships that strengthen the diversity and vibrancy of arts and culture for tourists, residents, artists, businesses, and civic organizations. Macon Arts Alliance is the designated Arts Agency for Macon-Bibb County and charged with implementing the 2020 Cultural Plan for Macon. https://www.maconartsalliance.org/
About Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority
As the official public transportation provider in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority is committed to providing safe, high quality, dependable and affordable service to the citizens in our community with courtesy and professionalism. We are particularly sensitive to our role during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and have never missed a day of service.
About JR Bodell Sculpture
Jim Bodell designs and creates metal and mixed media sculpture at his studio at stARTup Studios, 1055 Riverside Dr., Macon. He has a B.S. Degree in Parks and Recreational Management with an emphasis in arts programming for special populations from the University of Oregon where he was a Masters in Fine Arts candidate in Sculpture. After serving as Assistant Program Director Visual Arts Resources for the university’s Museum of Arts, he served as the Visual Arts Coordinator for the State of Arizona. Bodell then acquired his knowledge of metals and welding through a 25-year career as a steamfitter. Locally he has created sculptural projects for Mercer University, Wesleyan College and Historic Macon, has been featured in several shows at the Macon Arts Alliance gallery and is a past president of Macon Arts.
