A Napa artist has proposed three concepts for the hilltop public art to be installed at Carlsbad’s new Veterans Memorial Park.
Gordon Huether and his studio team have a 40-year history of large-scale commissions for cities, airports and large institutions across the United States.
“My goal in life is to edify the spirit of humanity by bringing beauty and meaning into the world through art,” Huether said in a May 1 presentation of his concepts to Carlsbad’s Arts Commission.
Every project is different and has its own story, he said. His team includes architects, engineers, digital designers, fabricators, project managers and s.
Each of the concepts proposed for Carlsbad is intended to embody the strength, resilience and unity of the country’s military services, Huether said. His installation will be on a bluff at the western end of the park, overlooking Agua Hedionda Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean.
The park’s main veterans memorial will be located with parking and other facilities at street level along at Faraday Avenue, east of Cannon Road.
The concepts are: A – The Arch, a four-legged arch 14 feet tall and 40 feet long that people could walk around and under; B – The Ring, an oval-shaped ring rising from the ground about 16 feet tall, 20 feet wide and 12 feet deep that would frame the horizon and sunsets; and C – The Spires, six separate narrow spires ing a central, suspended round of safety glass, with each spire representing a branch of military service.
The commissioners said they liked all the concepts, but a majority said the oval was their favorite.
Public comments on the proposal will be accepted by the city through May 23. City staffers will consider the comments and recommend a preferred concept to the Arts Commission in August, and the commission will make a recommendation to the City Council for final approval.
More information about the designs and a link to submit comments are on the city’s web page at www.carlsbadca.gov.
