Art around town
There has been a proliferation of artwork in public places in recent decades, adding to a rich art background dating to the 1800s when Williamsport was a young river town. Following is a list compiled by Public ARTWORKS, with additional items provided by Trade & Transit, and First Community Foundation Partnership for Pennsylvania.
1. Images of Williamsport’s Past
John Carlance, carved brick, 1999.
Trade and Transit Center, 100 W. Third St., north and south walls.
Taken from images on old photographs, the carvings depict Williamsport’s lumber industry, the old opera house, and innovations in transit.
2. Lady Justice
Artist unknown, metal, 1860.
North of intersection, Pine and West Third streets
A replica of an ornament from the original Lycoming County Courthouse, which was replaced in 1969. The original ornament now resides at the Taber Museum.
3. Shad Run
Joe McDonnell, brushed aluminum, 2007.
Northeast corner, Market and East Third Street
Depicts shad fish, a symbol of the renewal of life in the river and riverfront city.
4. Bound to Bloom
Mike Paterson, steel, 2003.
Southwest corner, Market and West Fourth streets.
Bloom commissioned by Lamar Advertising to enhance the revitalization of downtown Williamsport.
5. Mural Alley
Jeremiah Johnson, Elise Kaplan, Khristina Snook-Kohr, mural paint, 2003-2006.
Franco’s Restaurant, 12 W. Fourth St.
Commissioned by Franco’s Restaurant to enliven the alley that serves as the rear entrance to their restaurant.
6. Beatrice Portinari
Ferdinando Vicchi, carved marble, 1880.
James V. Brown Library, 19 E. Fourth St.
Beatrice was the courtly love of renaissance writer Dante. The piece was brought back from Italy by James V. Brown as a souvenir. It is a smaller version of a statue in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
7. Ruth
Giovanni Ciniselli, carved marble, 1880.
James V. Brown Library, front entryway, 19 E. Fourth St.
The biblical Ruth is associated with harvest, appealing to J.V. Brown, the owner of a flour mill. Its original site was the parlor of the Brown home.
8. Boy Columbus
Giovanni Monteverde, carved marble, 1880.
Reference Room of James V. Brown Library, 19 E. Fourth St.
A keepsake from a trip to Italy, brought back by James V. Brown. This piece is a reduced marble copy of a lifesize version in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
9. Italian Pastoral
Lycoming College art students, mural paint, 1995.
341 E. Fourth St.
Painted by Lycoming College students as a thanks to DiSalvo’s for improving the neighborhood with their classical-style restaurant.
10. The Fish
Tony Rodgers, concrete sculpture, 1970.
Campus side of Lycoming College Academic Center.
Created for a sculpture class under the guidance of art professor and sculptor Jon Bogle. It was nicknamed “The Fish” by the students because the abstract piece resembles a fish.
11. Peace Tower
Designer Dr. Robert M. Yasui, masonry and chimes, 1980.
Corner of Pine Street and Little League Boulevard.
Yasui commissioned the peace tower to honor his parents, Shizuo and Masuo Yasui, and to promote world peace.
12. Defenders of The Union
George F. Eisenbrown, granite, 1894.
454 Pine St.
Erected in honor of the men who served during the Civil War.
13. Linda, The Dragonfly
Mike Dietz, copper and glass, 2003.
Doorway at 416 Pine St.
A whimsical piece commissioned by Williamsport’s Merchant and Business Association, as part of the Air/Scape program.
14. Heart of Downtown
Jason Burgess, concrete and metal, 2004.
First National Bank parking lot, 120 W. Fourth St.
An Air/Scape program commission to celebrate the downtown as the heart of the community.
15. River Valley
Mike Paterson, metal, 2003.
Second-floor lobby of 353 Pine St.
Wall relief commissioned by the Rizzo family. An artistic testimony to the beauty of life in a rural, mountain river valley.
16. Inspiration: Lycoming County
Michael Pilato, acrylic paint and panels, 2007.
217 West Fourth St.
Commissioned by Our Towns: 2010, and the Chamber of Commerce. One of the world’s largest murals, it tells of the history and the life of Lycoming and its people.
17. Two Sisters
Jon Kohr, carved stone from Lycoming Creek, 2005.
Parking lot, 229 W. Fourth St.
Privately commissioned as a memorial to the two Gorden sisters.
18. Musical Frogs in the Sky
Steve Bastian, enamel sign paint, 1996.
Bullfrog Brewery entrance, 229 W. Fourth St.
Musical frogs create a welcoming entrance to the Bullfrog Brewery.
19. First Day of Summer
Roger Laux Nelson, oil paint, 1980.
Lobby of Federal Building, 240 W. Third St.
Commissioned by the General Service Administration as part of the Federal Government Art in Architecture Program.
20. Little Street of Shops
Unknown, mural paint.
228 W. Third St.
A reminder of the shopping heyday of Williamsport when it was a bustling retail center.
21. Metal Works X Two
Jason Burgess, metal, 2005.
Rear 321 Pine St.
Commissioned by Club Z as a contribution to the beautification and cultural life of downtown Williamsport.
22. Justice Courthouse Sculpture
Unknown, carved marble, 1860.
Second floor of Lycoming County Courthouse, 48 W. Third St.
Art here represents justice as an ancient tradition. It is symbolic of a society’s contract with its people: a promise that if they lived by the law, the law in return would be just.
23. Fish Mural
Michael Pilato and Lena Yeagle, mural paint.
Pine Square, 300 block of Pine Street.
Home to the Brickyard Restaurant and Ale House and the Stonehouse.
24. An Urban Forest
Beth Miele, mural paint, 2012.
36 W. Fourth St.
Painted mural of trees with herringbone background on the east side of exterior wall
25. Kelly Prado
Michael Pilato, acrylic paint.
505 Washington Blvd.
A mural painted in memory of the daughter of the owner of Joey’s Restaurant, located on building at the north side of the restaurant parking lot.
26. Children’s Mural
Natalia Pilato and community artists, painted mural, 2009.
600 Campbell St.
Features large sunflowers and children’s portraits.
27. Vulture
Jonathan Kohr, metal, 2011.
357 Market St., southwest corner of Fourth and Market streets.
Commissioned by the Logue family during restoration of the former shoe repair building.
28. Williamsport History and Birthplace of Little League
Michael Pilato and Yuriy Karabash, mural paint, 2011.
Lena Yeagle, mural paint, 2011.
Market Street, between Church Street and Fourth Street.
Two large murals celebrating local history.
29. The Wood Hick
Pamela Barner, bronze sculpture, 2009.
River Walk west of Market Street bridge.
Lumberjack of the logging era, representative of Williamsport’s history as the lumber capital of the world.
30. What Lives in There
Michael Patterson, stainless steel sculpture, 2012.
Riverwalk, South Williamsport, east of Maynard Street bridge.
Different types of fish found in the Susquehanna River.
31. Bases Loaded
Matt Glen, bronze sculpture, 2014.
Market Square.
Baseball players celebrate Williamsport as the Little League capital of the world.
32. Germination
Roger Shipley, bronze, 2017.
Trade & Transit II.
Three puzzle pieces capture the mystery of creation. The sculpture is named after its meaning, “the beginning of growth.”
33. UNDERCURRENT
Fred Gilmour, aluminum tube and colored plexiglass, 2018.
Lycoming County Regional Airport.
Sculpture combining the ideas of our river-based life with the modernity of our forward-thinking community.
34. Four Seasons
Pilato and Karabash Studios, mural, year unknown.
Trade & Transit II.
Mural on the side of the station depicting the four seasons as well as some of Pennsylvania’s wildlife.
35. Susquehanna Boom River Mural
Pilato and Karabash Studios, mural, year unknown.
Trade & Transit II.
Mural on the side of the station referencing Williamsport’s rivers and role in lumber milling.
36. Spirit Creatures
Pilato and Karabash Studios, mural, 2016.
?
Pennsylvania wildlife and Williamsport’s environmental protectors Bob Wayne, Cindy Bower, and Bill Worobec are depicted along with Mark Twain.
37. River Portal Sculpture
Christopher Keiser, steel, 2008.
Trade & Transit II.
A sculpture utilizing negative space to symbolize the Susquehanna River.
38. Brick Carvings
Sue Landerman, carved brick, year unknown.
Trade & Transit II.
Various images depicting modes of transportation and historic aspects of the city.
39. Mid-Town Landing Portal
Brett Mulroy and Mike Snyder, year unknown.
Trade & Transit II.
Archway into the station reminiscent of our river valley heritage.
40. Chief Woapalanne
Peter Wolf Toth, Brian Flynn, and David Stabley, wood, 1990.
Trade & Transit II.
A wooden carving paying homage to our Native American history, the piece was originally placed at Brandan Park. After years of erosion, it was repaired and relocated to the station.
41. Helix Garden
Artist unknown, cement, year unknown.
Trade & Transit II.
Garden area with cement helix accents.
42. Sports Walk
Artist unknown, bronze, year unknown.
Sidewalk plaques that pay tribute to some of the city’s most beloved and influential athletes, such as Little League founder Carl Stotz and Paul “Babe” Mayer.
43. Mr. Kraus’s Garden
First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania, mosaic, 2016.
Mosaic planters honoring the founder of the organization as well as showing their three core areas of giving: art, human services, and strong neighborhoods.
SOURCES: Public ARTWORKS, Trade & Transit, and First Community Foundation Partnership for Pennsylvania.