Sculptor John Acorn is ready to see his work come to fruition as his
modern, geometric sculpture adds the finishing touch to NOMA Square in downtown
Greenville.
In fall of 2012, the Hyatt design team dreamed of an
exciting new outdoor space, and they knew they wanted a beautiful piece of art
for the community to enjoy on the North end of Main Street. The process began
with hotel owner Mr. DJ Rama browsing in Hampton 3 Gallery in Greenville. He
was inspired by a local artist’s work there, and gallery owner, Sandy Rupp introduced
him to the artist, Mr. John Acorn. A well respected sculptor, and former
professor at Clemson, he was up for the challenge of creating a unique piece of
art to become part of the downtown Greenville streetscape. Soon, a plan was
underway to create a model of the sculpture.
Mr. Acorn took his inspiration
from nature, citing his fondness for the gum ball that falls from the sweet gum
tree. What some people find a nuisance in their yard, Mr. Acorn saw beauty in. The
basis of his model consisted of spheres, and he cut many wooden spheres to create
his masterpiece. When he was finished, he set the leftover pieces to the side.
After some time, he decided to put those extra pieces to good use, and began
another model, a “spinoff design.” During his presentation to show his model to
the team, they noticed the second sculpture sitting aside in his studio. The
team was drawn to the “spinoff,” and knew that it was the design they were
looking for all along. After weeks of
fabrication by the team at Consolidated Southern Industries, the sculpture is
complete, and Greenville will soon get a glimpse of the spectacular new piece.
On Tuesday, February 19th at 2:00 p.m. the unveiling will occur in
NOMA Square.
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Acorn received his BA in fine
arts at Montclair State College,
New Jersey. His interest in sculpture was sparked by Paul Harris and continued as he
pursued a MFA at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. In 1961
he became an Assistant Professor at Clemson University, SC, and became chairman
of the Art Department in 1976, a position he held until his retirement in 1998.
Awards include a Fulbright Scholarship,
a Silver Medal from Tau Sigma Delta and an Art-in-Architecture from the
American Institute of Architects. In 1998 he was honored with the Elizabeth
O'Neill Verner Award from the South
Carolina Arts Commission.
For more information contact:
Heather Meadors, Director of Community Relations, JHM Hotels
W: 864-248-1568, C: 864-346-1933 hmeadors@jhmhotels.com
Website: www.jhmhotels.com
