What’s happening: A new public art program in downtown Northville is making use of recycled materials in their latest placemaking initiative. Seven snowmen can be found throughout downtown, crafted from a combination of repurposed materials unique to each sculpture. Initiated by the Northville Downtown Development Authority, it’s their hope that the snowmen become part of a new wintertime tradition in downtown Northville, with new sculptures being added each year.
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This new sculpture in downtown Northville includes two satellite dishes, the face is a wok, the hat a metal planter, and the boots are car jacks.The artists (and the snowmen): The sculptures made from recycled materials come from artists Joseph and Jennifer Rutherford. They’ve used everything but the kitchen sink (for now), making snowmen from materials that include golf balls, motorcycle tires, railroad spikes, and plenty more.
What they’re saying: “We are excited to introduce the Snowmen sculptures this winter,” says Lori Ward, director of the Northville Downtown Development Authority. “Like the skeletons in the fall that everyone loves so much, we hope to continue introducing more Snowmen sculptures every winter for everyone to enjoy while they visit Downtown Northville.”
Social media invites: Downtown Northville is encouraging downtown visitors to take selfies with the sculptures and to share them on their social media pages, including the hashtag #SnowmenOfNorthville to be shared across their own networks. The snowmen will stay up throughout the winter months and return next year.
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