FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Paul Wenzel (407) 246-4279
Chase Smith (407) 246-2106

CITY OF ORLANDO AND COMMISSIONER PATTY SHEEHAN DEDICATE ARTWORK IN DOWNTOWN

New Sculpture to be Resurrected After 2004 Hurricane Season With the Support of FEMA

Orlando, FL (March 16, 2006) – On Thursday, March 16th at 3:00 p.m., Commissioner Patty Sheehan and the City of Orlando in partnership with Orange County and the First Presbyterian Church, will dedicate Celestial Joy, a sculptural work by award-winning artist, Dorothy Gillespie at the Administration Center Parking Garage located at 300 Liberty Street.

The hurricanes of 2004 destroyed the original artwork Encircled Pathway to the Enchanted Castle installed in the Parking Garage. Now, Celestial Joy stands in its place thanks to support from FEMA grants that allowed for the rebuilding of the previous structure. The resurrection of the artwork is a joint initiative to create community pride in public facilities through public art.

“Orlando is extremely privileged to have a sculpture from an artist of this caliber,” said Paul Wenzel, Public Art Coordinator. “Dorothy is a well-respected international artist and she has been involved with the Orlando art community for years.”

Dorothy Gillespie’s work can be found in numerous collections including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum of Art in New York, The Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Albright Knox Gallery in Buffalo and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond.

For more information about the event please contact Public Art Coordinator, Paul Wenzel at (407) 246-279 or paul.wenzel@cityoforlando.net.

About the City’s Public Art Program
The City of Orlando Public Art Program exists to acquire, exhibit and support visual arts and regional artists in the community. The City’s collection includes more than 900 pieces of paintings, sculptures, tapestries and mixed media displayed in City Hall and parks and community centers throughout Orlando. The program operates three galleries featuring rotating exhibits by local artists and collections. All are free to the general public. The City’s main galleries are at Orlando City Hall and the historic Harry P. Leu Gardens.


Editor’s Note: Dorothy Gillespie was born in 1920 in Roanoke, Virginia. She attended the Maryland Institute of Art in Baltimore and after graduating in 1943; she made her way to New York City, The Art Students League, and the printmaking workshop, Atlier 17. In the early 60’s Dorothy earned a reputation for her environmental installations and happenings, working creatively as an artist full time in New York. In the 1970’s Gillespie became a feminist activist for the Women’s Movement in New York where she devoted much of her time to organizing women’s exhibitions and participating in various protests, such as picketing at the Whitney. She later helped found the Women’s Interart Center. Gillespie and the late Alice Barber created a course for the New School of Social Research on “Functioning in the Art world”, A course which focused on the artist responsibilities to the art community not to art business and on artist self realization.

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