Visual Arts Lecturer, David James Doody invited author, curator and public art consultant Joyce Pomeroy Schwartz to speak in his An Introduction to Art course in the fall of 2024. Having the opportunity to have a conversation directly with the author is unique for students. It adds credibility to the ideas expressed on the page, explains Doody.
“Meeting the author first hand not only allows students to uncover a deeper context directly from the authors personal experiences it also help humanize heroic achievements and make the seemingly impossible more tangible more reachable and more relatable,” he adds.
Doody met Joyce Pomeroy Schwartz in Manhattan in February of 2020. “Joyce was a foundational player in the wide spread growth of public art in cities across the united states. Joyce was writing a new book “Private Eye in Public Art”. We discussed the invaluable impact of art in public spaces and I shared exciting success of ground breaking new public art programming at UBCO with our summer mural course. Since that initial conversation Joyce and I kept up our correspondence,” he says.
In fall of 2024 Joyce sent Doody an advanced copy final draft of her book to read and incorporate into the public art courses he was teaching This beautiful book offers unique insight to the development of public art in America since the 1950’s the key players and the landmark achievements, and offers great guidance and words of encouragement for developing art in all communities.
In this candid conversation, Schwartz & Doody discuss the history and impact of public art in America. As champion for creating a national identity through public, Schwartz shares her unique insight and her foundational role in public art in America. In this light hearted conversation Schwartz & Doody discuss Her new book The Private Eye in Public Art and some of Schwartz’s most impactful projects such as the Irish Hunger Memorial by Brian Tolle, in Battery Park NYC and Elypitic by Maya Lin, in Grand Rapids Michigan.
This video was recorded and presented to students as part of VISA 137 An Introduction to Art, UBC Okanagan 2024.