Bethel Arts and Sustainable Bethel Commission Partner to Launch the 2025-2026 Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit
Bethel, CT – March, 27, 2025 – Bethel Arts and the Sustainable Bethel Commission are proud to announce the launch of the 2025-2026 outdoor sculpture exhibit, Our Power, Our Planet – Sculptural Reflections, a year-long celebration of the beauty of art and earth. The exhibit will officially open on April 26, 2025, as part of Bethel’s Earth Day celebration.
Large-scale sculptures created by local artists will be displayed on platforms on the grounds of the Bethel Municipal Center and the Bethel Public Library. This initiative aims to highlight the beauty of art while fostering a deeper appreciation for sustainability and environmental consciousness within the community.
Bethel Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting Bethel’s arts and creative community, has partnered with the Sustainable Bethel Commission, which earned Bronze-level certification from Sustainable CT in 2024. “The Sustainable Bethel Commission is thrilled to partner with Bethel Arts on this exhibit,” said Commission Chairman Kathryn Hebert. “This project enriches our town’s cultural landscape while fostering environmental awareness, economic vitality, and community engagement.”
This is Bethel’s third outdoor sculpture exhibit, with the last event held in 2017. Patricia Voorhees, Bethel Arts Board Secretary and Chair of the Sculpture Exhibit Committee, emphasized the impact of public art, stating, “Seeing parents and children enjoying the sculptures really brought home how much art adds to the vibrancy and vitality of a community.”
In response to a call for artists last fall, Bethel Arts received 38 sculpture submissions from 17 artists. The final selections were juried by three accomplished Bethel artists: Diana Gubbay, Bethel Arts Board member; Jim Felice, owner of Jim Felice Studios; and Dave Gesualdi, creator of Bethel’s P.T. Barnum Sculpture and the Veterans Memorial statue at the CJH Municipal Center.
- Roundabout – David Skora (New Hartford, CT)
- Positivity Tower – Inez Andrucyk (Mohegan Lake, NY)
- Tow Dancer – Moment of Movement – John Bonsignore (West Redding, CT)
- Tangent – Carlos Davila (Bridgeport, CT)
- Spring – Justin Perlman (Bethlehem, CT)
- Host and Guest – Bob Keating (Southbury, CT)
- Universe – Francis Patenaude (Bethlehem, CT)
- Electric Man (small-scale, displayed in the Municipal Center Lobby) – Wayne Ritter (Bethel, CT)
David Skora, a professor of Art and Graphic Design at Western Connecticut State University, described his piece, Roundabout, as reflecting “the dynamic relationship between humanity and the Earth, weaving together themes of sustainability, energy, and environmental consciousness.”
Throughout the exhibition, Bethel Arts will recruit community and high school docents to lead tours and will organize artist talks to engage and educate the public. The project is made possible by a matching grant from Sustainable CT.
For more information, including how to donate, visit www.bethelartsct.org. For inquiries, contact Patricia Voorhees at patricia.voorhees@gmail.com.