Installation Begins Tuesday
Five freestanding granite sculptures weighing a total of 540 tons will enhance the environmental landscape along Johnson Creek in Arlington's Entertainment District.
Tuesday, June 30, Ark Contracting Services will begin installing the 22 pink granite stones that comprise the sculpture known as Caelum Moor. The installation will be in Richard Greene Linear Park located at 1601 E. Randol Mill Road adjacent to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and Cowboys Stadium. The stone monuments range in height from 8 to 30 feet.
The Latin name “Caelum” is derived from a constellation in the southern skies known as the sculptor's tool or chisel. “Moor” refers to the windswept landscapes of Scotland. The celtic names of each of the five groupings reflect the ancestry of the sculptor's patron.
Caelum Moor was commissioned in 1984 by Jane Mathes Kelton, CEO of the Kelton Mathes Development Corporation and heir of the Scottish-American television magnate, Curtis Mathes. According to the sculptor, Kelton wanted the artwork to serve as a centerpiece for a proposed business park development along I-20, reminiscent of the ancient sites of Scotland and England and reflecting of her family's heritage. From 1986 to 1997, Caelum Moor was located at the headwaters of Johnson Creek along Interstate 20. In 1997, the sculpture was donated to the City and stored to make way for commercial development. Caelum Moor was once listed on the Smithsonian Institution's National Registry of Art in Public Places.
Caelum Moor enhances the Entertainment District and showcases public art and culture in Arlington. The district is home to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor, U.S. Bowling Congress, Arlington Convention Center and Cowboys Stadium. A dedication is planned later this year.
Media Opportunity
At 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 30, news reporters can capture the first of the 22 granite stones being set into place in Richard Greene Linear Park, 1601 E. Randol Mill Road. A media staging area will be located at the park. Enter from Rangers Parking Lot J. Elected city officials, representatives of the arts community and Caelum Moor sculptor Norm Hines will be available for interviews until 11 a.m. Please note: This is an active construction site. Access is limited.
Caelum Moor
Facts and Information
Norm Hines was a professor of art at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., in 1984 when he was commissioned by Jane Mathes Kelton to create the environmental work of art that came to be known as Caelum Moor. Kelton was a resident of Arlington and the CEO of the Kelton Mathes Development Corporation.
The Caelum Moor commission took two years to complete and cost $1.5 million to construct. The completed work of art, which included a park that Hines also designed, was later appraised at more than $3 million. The sculpture is comprised of five individual groups of stones, each with its own Celtic name within a landscaped setting.
The stone monuments range in height from 8 to 30 feet, weigh a total of more than 540 tons and have no celestial connection.
From 1986 to 1997, Caelum Moor was located at the headwaters of Johnson Creek along Interstate 20 in south Arlington. In 1997, the land was acquired by a developer, and the stones were donated to the City of Arlington.
Caelum Moor in the Entertainment District
Caelum Moor will serve as an environmental centerpiece within the Entertainment District. The district is bound by Division Street on the south, 360 to the east, Collins Street to the west and I-30/Lamar Boulevard to the north. The district is home to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor, Arlington Convention Center, U.S. Bowling Congress and the Cowboys Stadium.
Caelum Moor will be located in Richard Greene Linear Park, adjacent to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and the Cowboys Stadium. The sculptures will be set along Johnson Creek, which flows parallel to Legends Way.
The height of the sculptures will make them a focal point from the scenic Randol Mill Bridge. They will be lit for night-time viewing, and the park will include landscaping and interpretive signage.
As part of the public safety initiatives in the city, remote cameras have been strategically placed in the Entertainment District to improve traffic flow and enhance safety for pedestrians and motorists.
Linear Parks in the Entertainment District
Richard Greene Linear Park and Dr. Robert Cluck Linear Park are part of the Phase I stream restoration of Johnson Creek. The linear parks are described as environmental amenities for the Entertainment District. Dr. Robert Cluck currently serves as Arlington's mayor. Richard Greene served as Arlington's mayor from 1987 to 1997. Phase I includes 4,200 linear feet of stream restoration along Johnson Creek between Randol Mill Road and Sanford Street, lighted trails, a pedestrian bridge and more than 2,000 trees, 1,500 shrubs and 15,000 native plants.
Funding
The entire Johnson Creek watershed project was congressionally authorized as part of a master plan for $50 million in environmental restoration, flood control and erosion protection. The project represents years of planning, engineering and design. Phase I is nearing completion.
In March 2009, the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #5 authorized $910,417 in funding for Caelum Moor installation, lighting, irrigation, trail construction and signage. Additionally, private funding from the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys contributed nearly $3.9 million to environmental improvements as part of the Johnson Creek vision for conservation and restoration.
Arlington Scottish-American Traditions
For 23 years, Arlington has hosted the annual Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games. First held at Caelum Moor in 1989, the annual tradition moved to Maverick Stadium on the UT-Arlington campus. Each year, the games attract about 30,000 people. The three-day event is typically held in June and is renowned for outstanding musical entertainment and celebration of the Scottish culture. For more information, visit www.TexasScottishFestival.com.
Public Art in Arlington
Caelum Moor joins a growing collection of public art in Arlington. From the Sculpture Garden at Meadowbrook Park to the downtown monument commemorating the 50-year sister city relationship with Bad Königshofen, Germany, Caelum Moor enhances Arlington's Entertainment District and rejoins the city's growing collection of quality public art. To learn more about public art in Arlington, visit the City's web site at webapps.arlingtontx.gov/tmp/publicart for a tour.
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