We have an excited Public Art Commission that stands by the selection of “Arc of History.” As a member of the commission, I say bravo to the Durango City Council for choosing to fund an art project to enhance what can only be described as the most intense traffic intersection in the county. Landscaping and a work of art selected for its appropriate design in this location will diminish the austere environment of this sea of concrete. The design for the artwork included the concept of being created with local stone, using local workers to build the infrastructure and using local engineers to calculate the structural requirements to accomplish the concept for the piece of art that is unique to this location. It is visually interesting, and it will age and change in the years to come.

People who love art select art for many qualities, including how intriguing and interactive the art is in the location where it is placed. It is exciting to see the amount of community involvement/interest now that the artwork has been installed. The sculpture by Tom Holmes is an important addition to the art collection owned by city of Durango. Many generous people have come forward recognizing the value of art to the community and have donated numerous works of art worth millions of dollars to all of us. The city has been fortunate to receive these works over the past several years, and we are grateful for the vision of these members of our community.

The artworks are wonderful in themselves. However, they are so much more valuable as a collection owned by the city of Durango for generations to come. Durango’s art community is vital for many reasons, especially for our children. It is part of the engine that drives the tourist industry. There is a large and divergent group of people that endorses the use of tax dollars for art, just as other segments of our community are pleased to see tax dollars spent for biking, sports venues, special events and even providing buses.

Catherine Gore

Durango