Look Up for Three Ravens Moira ThompiOH r * r i c R o b e r t s o n ' s p u b l i c a r t p i e c e Three rL Ravens, in f l y i n g stimulate places." Through integrated municipal, community commissions into new and private are other t h e c u l t u r a l s p i r i t a n d i d e n t i t y o f the o f art in public p o s i t i o n s , are w o r t h l o o k i n g for. Y o u have to l o o k u p as they p e r c h o n 9 to 12 f o o t h i g h A n d a c i t e p i l l a r s (a l o c a l stone) c o m m u n i t y t h r o u g h the c r e a t i o n nestled o n a p u b l i c p a t h . T h e y h o v e r at the T a n a g e r T o w n h o u s e c o m p l e x o n W i n d r i d g e D r i v e . T o f i n d t h e m , travel east o n M o u n t S e y m o u r P a r k w a y , t u r n s o u t h o n R i v e r s i d e a n d t h e n east a g a i n a l o n g W i n d r i d g e . Y o u ' l l c o m e to the t o w n h o u s e site, a n d t h e n , a l o n g the p a t h o n the s o u t h side o f the c o m p l e x , y o u ' l l f i n d the Three Ravens. A bit o f a quest, but w o r t h the effort. development p u b l i c art works b u i l d i n g s , streets a n d i n f r a s t r u c t u r e p r o j e c t s , p a r k s a n d p u b l i c spaces. T h e P r o g r a m encourages a w i d e range o f creative expression and artistic p r a c t i c e , f r o m single artist c o m m i s s i o n s to c o l l a b o r a t i o n s w i t h c o m m u n i t y g r o u p s a n d development design teams. I a s k e d E r i c w h y he u s e d R a v e n s . H i s a n s w e r w a s as s i m p l e a n d p u r e as his w o r k . T h e y are s m a r t , and playful, d e v i l i s h . T o l o o k at t h e m - at p l a y - w h i c h Eric has Mount T h i s is the first piece t h a t R o b e r t s o n has d o n e f o r the D i s t r i c t . W h e n v i s u a l i z i n g the piece, he h a d in m i n d ravens at p l a y - d i v i n g , f l y i n g , h a v i n g some f u n . T h e s e ravens spin o n ball bearings, using their w i n g s p a n , w h i c h is 1 .5 times larger t h a n real life, to capture the b r e e z e . A g o o d w i n d y d a y w i l l h a v e t h e m c a v o r t i n g . T h e y e v o k e that p l a y f u l q u a l i t y that c r o w s a n d ravens seem to possess. B o r n o n the coast a n d raised in B C , he g r a d u a t e d in the late 80s f r o m E m i l y C a r r Institute o f A r t a n d D e s i g n , a n d then d i d a M a s t e r s Degree at C o n c o r d i a U n i v e r s i t y in M o n t r e a l . G o o d t h i n g he c a m e h o m e . T o have lost his talent to Q u e b e c w o u l d be g o o d for them a n d a loss for us. R o b e r t s o n w o r k s e x c l u s i v e l y as a p u b l i c - a r t artist, m e a n i n g that his w o r k is i n s t a l l e d in a n d a r o u n d the p u b l i c e n v i r o n s . It a l s o m e a n s he m a k e s his l i v i n g , solely f r o m his art. T h a t a l o n e takes talent. It is a t a l e n t t h a t the D i s t r i c t a n d C i t y o f N o r t h V a n c o u v e r encourage. In 2 0 0 0 , D i s t r i c t a n d C i t y o f N o r t h V a n c o u v e r to " c e l e b r a t e a n d Councils adopted a Public Art Program c a p t u r e d , y o u c a n a p p r e c i a t e that. T h e y are p o w e r f u l , yet w h i m s i c a l . T a k e a l e i s u r e l y d r i v e a l o n g S e y m o u r P a r k w a y u n t i l y o u f i n d y o u r s e l f o n the path at the T a n a g e r T o w n h o u s e C o m p l e x a n d then l o o k u p . Y o u ' l l see w h a t 1 m e a n . WHAT: Public Art WHERE: City and District of North Vancouver MORE INFO: Check out www.arts-alive.ca for public art piece locations and policies 6 September|October