Tolar Provides Custom Art Glass for City of Gainesville Bus Shelter Art Project

Tolar Manufacturing Company recently announced it has supplied custom art glass panels for 15 bus shelters that the company previous built for the City of Gainesville, Georgia. The Bus Shelter Art Project is a partnership between the City, Vision 2030 of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, and Quinlan Visual Arts Center and was funded with a U.S. Section 5307 capital grant. The art glass panels feature works from local artists selected by the Vision 2030 Public Arts Committee from among over 81 entries.

Using digital printing technology, Tolar Manufacturing reproduced the artist’s works in exacting detail onto 44-inch x 79-inch custom glass panels that were then installed on-site by the City onto the backs of each shelter. “The high quality production process we use ensures that these pieces will last for years at the bus shelters through out Gainesville,” stated Scott Williams, business development manager for Tolar Manufacturing.

Included among the 15 pieces of art chosen for the project is, 57 Chevy by Travis Massey, Musical Vision by Larry Griffeth, Morning Sail by Anne Brodie Hill and Gainesville by 18 year old Edgar Esquival. The high visibility bus shelters are strategically located through out the City’s busiest centers.

“I knew going into this art project that the scale of the reproductions would have great impact for our community in unexpected places,” commented Amanda McClure, Quinlan Visual Arts Center executive director. “What I was not prepared for was how luminous the work turned out to be using the glass medium produced by Tolar. The way the light reacts to these pieces really makes them shine. In short, they are stunning, and now we have a public art gallery in our city through these installations.”

The Gainesville Bus Shelter Art Project is exactly the type of project Tolar Manufacturing is known for. As the company celebrates its 25th year, it’s founder and president Gary Tolar stated, “The Gainesville art project was exciting because it really aligns with our mission of assisting our clients in creating a sense of place. After

listening to our clients needs, we ask ourselves, ‘How does this bus shelter or bench design reflect the character of the community it will reside in?’” For the City of Gainesville that question was answered by Community Services Director, Phillippa Lewis Moss, “Our city’s Gainesville Connection brand is to connect people with recreation, business, education, family, friends and more. The connectivity of people to the community is what we strive for and this bus shelter art project is a great example.”