Public Art

As a community attentive to its cultural life, the City of Wheat Ridge recognizes the importance of art. Public art enhances the quality of life in Wheat Ridge and benefits its citizens and the community at-large. The City established the groundwork for an expanded public art program in 2002. This program has enabled the City to implement the acquisition of artwork for interior and exterior locations accessible to the public.  Public art acquisition and selection is coordinated through the Cultural Commission.

The following are works of art accessible to the public located throughout the City.

 Discovering the Stars

Designer Kevin Robb
  
Contemporary stainless steel sculpture. Installed October 2010.

Located at: Discovery Park

 Photo by Matt Brozek 

Natural Impressions

Designer Carol Schneider Fennell

Each hand-carved clay tile box relates to the recreation center, the community, and serve as windows to the past, present, and future. Installed July 2004

Located at: Wheat Ridge Recreation Center (2nd floor)

 Red, White and True Blue

Designer Bonnie Trujillio-Dickson

Bronze sculpture of a life size red fox and two kits. Installed October 2013

Located at: Wheat Ridge City Hall

 Photo by Justin LeVett 

Seasons

Designer Carol Schneider Fennell

The hand-carved clay tile boxes represent the leaves of Jefferson County: Rocky Mountain Maple, Narrow leaf Cottonwood, Gamble Oak, Aspen, Hawthorn, and Mahogany.

Located at: Wheat Ridge Recreation Center (installation inside, near front desk) 

She Ain't Heavy

Designer Walt Horton

Bronze sculpture of children with kite. 1997, installed April 2002.

Located at:
Wheat Ridge Recreation Center (outside, north side of building)

Sweet Grass Dance

Designer Nancy Lovendahl 

Natural limestone hand cut and finished to look like oversized “sweet grass” blowing in the breeze as it grows wild along ClearCreek. installed November, 2019.

Located at:
Anderson Park

Symbols in Stone

Designer Barry Rose

The Children’s Art Tile Project. The artwork consists of etched flagstone tiles, completed in 1996 and 1997.

Located at:
Wheat Ridge Recreation Center (two installations inside)
Wheat Ridge City Hall (outside, on the west wall) 

Truth

Designer Kendra Fleischman

Cast bronze sculpture depicting a balance between choices. Installed May 2015.

Located at: Hopper Hollow Park

Photo by Pretty Antlers Photography

What Has Stood, Shall Always Be

Designer Joshua Wiener

The marble, stone, and concrete sculpture represents a fallen tree in three ways: a tree that is turning into birds and fish at its roots, a glacier moving through the mountains, and as the surface of the earth distributed with sedimentary and igneous stones in relation to water. Installed September 2005

Located at: Founders Park

Photo by Justin LeVett

Greetings from Wheat Ridge! 

We invited all of our residents to get involved with us June 1 - June 15, 2019 in a campaign to see all of our beautiful art and favorite places in Wheat Ridge. The City collaborated with Localworks and Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation to showcase the art, parks, and businesses around the City of Wheat Ridge.

The Greetings from Wheat Ridge artwork was the inspiration of graduates of Wheatie’s Academy and was created by artists Blu Hartkopp and Chris Jenuine. It was a Pop-Up Community Art Project that was displayed at Anderson Pool from June - August 2018. We are thrilled to see this collaborative community project showing up on the windows of local businesses as a window cling as well as in this fun, interactive campaign during our 50th anniversary year.

Residents were asked to take a selfie with the art, a picture of the art alone or a photo of the art with the Greetings postcard and tag @City of Wheat Ridge Government and use the #GreetingsfromWR. The slideshow below are the images that were captured during the campaign, and show what you love about our City!