ARTS & CULTURE; COMMUNITY NEWS
By Diana Newton
Correspondent
The ArtsCenter celebrated its 50th anniversary on August 15th by unveiling the freshly refurbished signature sculpture, the “Creative Spirit,” which has just been installed on the roof peak of its most recent home at 400 Roberson Street in Carrboro.
The Creative Spirit was originally designed by artist Bob Gaston when the ArtsCenter moved to its second location on Main Street in 1988. Gaston is renowned for his fiberglass artistry, including the famous Pig in the Sky that perches above the Crook’s Corner restaurant in Chapel Hill.
The seed idea for the Creative Spirit was an angel Gaston designed for use in the Playmakers Repertory Company’s production of Look Homeward, Angel during the 1986-87 season. That work prompted Gaston’s vision for an angelic spirit to sit atop the ArtsCenter to summon the community’s creativity. He offered the idea to Jacques Menache, the founder of the ArtsCenter, with one stipulation: if she was ever removed, he wanted her back. Menache agreed, and Gaston created the Creative Spirit, crowned with flowing dreadlocks and holding comedy and tragedy masks in her hand.
ArtsCenter founder Jacques Menache stands beside his lively self-portrait, currently exhibited in the lobby, at the anniversary celebration. Photo by Diana Newton.
After 35 years atop the ArtsCenter’s former location on Main Street in Carrboro, lichens had literally defaced the Creative Spirit sculpture. Here, she prepares to move into artistic rehab before installation at the new location. Photo courtesy of Christopher Carter.
When the ArtsCenter moved to its new facility in 2023, the question of whether it was time for the Creative Spirit to return to her creator arose. Upon examination, nature had inspired lichens to adorn her face and squirrels to build nests within her. Gaston no longer lives here, so after consultation about the options, local sculptor Mike Roig agreed to refurbish the sculpture so she could again grace the roof gable at the new location. Roig, known for his kinetic metal sculptures, gave her the artistic facelift she deserved, and the ArtsCenter’s 50th anniversary offered an ideal time to reintroduce her. Soon, she will also wave a newly designed flag from her commanding post.
Executive Director Wendy Smith encourages the community to become “Angel” Sustainers at the ArtsCenter’s 50th anniversary celebration. Photo by Diana Newton.
The Creative Spirit also serves as the graphic branding for the ArtsCenter’s development efforts, with its slogan, “Be an Angel. Invest in Joy.” Executive Director Wendy Smith is excited to see how the next fifty years of community-based artistry unfolds at the ArtsCenter. She sees all the youth programs as the foundation. Pointing out a display of skateboard art by Chapel Hill High School students, she said with conviction, “All these young people are the ones who will carry us into the future through their creativity.”
Diana Newton is a coach, facilitator, filmmaker, writer, artist, yoga teacher and general Renaissance woman. Her documentary film, The Ties That Bind, is available for streaming on UNC-TV. She lives in Carrboro and is a UNC alum. This reporter can be reached at Info@TheLocalReporter.press
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