Coverings is creatively bringing golf to the 37,000
attendees who will be trekking to the Orange County Convention Center for the April
29-May 2 expo and conference for tile and stone.
A golf putting green, composed of
tile and stone that were contributed by various Coverings exhibitors, will be a
special attraction in the main entry of the convention center. The golf setting
was designed and produced by students in the Ceramic Engineering & Art
Departments of Clemson University. Coverings commissioned the creation,
requiring that it be not only a showpiece for the materials but fully
functional, as well. An additional criterion: it had to be modular so that it
could be easily transported, especially from Clemson, in South Carolina, to
Orlando.
All eyes will be on the
first-of-its-kind tiled putting green for the opening ceremony of Coverings as
pro Jan Stephenson, a former LPGA champion and a designer of golf courses,
officially inaugurates it, joined by the show’s Board of Directors. The green
will be accessible to Coverings visitors Tuesday, April 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
and Wednesday, April 30, 9 a.m. to noon.
The challenge to create a tiled
putting green was enthusiastically met by the Clemson team, led by Dr. Eric
Skaar, professor of ceramic engineering, and Molly Kennedy, assistant
professor, at the university’s School of Materials Science & Engineering,
together with Susan Grier, a professor and guest lecturer, who represented the
Visual Arts Department. They collaborated to develop a syllabus for the project
so that it would give the 13 participating students a taste of a hands-on
assignment, plus immerse them in the experience of an actual client
relationship.
“We jumped at the chance to work on
this Coverings concept,” said Skaar, “because it offered us the opportunity to
stimulate the students’ thinking about the link between art and science, and
also expose them to working with a client and addressing installation.
Additionally, we agreed it would help them gain a more intimate knowledge of
industrial materials-tile, adhesives, application methods-while also gaining an
understanding of the role of public sculpture in a traditionally non-art
context.”
“Working on this project has given
me experience with other students in different majors,” said Meredith Myers, of
Thomasville, NC, a junior in engineering. “They’ve helped show me new ideas
that I wouldn’t have thought of.” Visual Arts senior Savannah Camp, of Chapin,
SC, summed it up: “It’s about teamwork and creativity.”
Consensus, though, is that the
project overall has been an extraordinary learning experience they’ll benefit
from for years to come. “It has definitely taught me the need to consider as
many options as possible at once, so if one method does not work out there will
be others waiting in the wings,” said Ross Economy, of Raleigh, NC, also an engineering
junior. Jessica Jackson, of Collierville, TN, an engineering senior, said the
project has “given me more perspective on new ideas and working with different
people. It also has been a lesson in patience and in hands-on work.”
The 22-foot-long green is a
bejeweled landscape that, other than its unconventional cladding, will be
familiar turf for duffers, with a requisite body of water, palm trees,
contoured and rolling knolls, plus in a true tip-of-the-cap to Florida, some
outdoor denizens, such as a turtle and alligator. And, for anyone fearing that
tile is not the best surface for a golf ball to travel, a single pathway of
grass carpeting has been incorporated, leading to the hole.
“We are so proud to be able to
present this tiled artistic masterpiece to our Coverings guests and have a
legendary golf pro like Jan Stephenson help put the spotlight on it,” said
Glenn Feder, president of client services for National Trade Productions, which
manages and produces Coverings. “The students and faculty of Clemson have awed
us with their vision, imagination, talent and pure pluck in designing and
producing something so extraordinary as this golf sculpture. They’ve proven the
tremendous versatility and irresistible beauty of tile and stone materials with
this achievement.”
Feder explained that the concept to
create a golf putting green from exhibitors’ materials was the outgrowth of a
similar initiative conducted at last year’s Coverings in Chicago. There, the
show partnered with The Chicago Mosaic School, whose students created three
show-stopping “Tile Totems” - six-foot-tall columns that were part of the
opening ceremony. These towering art pieces captured the attention not only of
local press, but also of Mayor Richard M. Daley, and they have ultimately found
a permanent exhibit spot at Chicago’s famed Navy Pier, one of the Midwest’s
leading tourist destinations. Feder said plans are underway, as well, to find a
permanent exhibit spot where Coverings can contribute the putting green.
Putting Green Created from Coverings' Tile, Stone Exhibitors
April 16, 2008
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