Leland Drexler-Russell Selected as the Winner of the Chesterfield Public Art Competition

Chesterfield Parks, Recreation & Arts (CPRA) is pleased to announce Leland Drexler-Russell as the selected winner of the Public Art Competition. Five artists, including Drexler-Russell, were selected to present their design vision to the panel of judges in December 6, 2016. The winning public art sculpture, “Flow,” will be an interactive piece placed near the lake in Chesterfield’s Central Park. The anticipated completion date is summer of 2017.

The design vision of “Flow” will bring attention to the native plants of the Missouri wetlands: the Broadleaf Cattail (Ttypha Latifolia) and the Yellow  Lotus (Nelumbo Lutea). The cattails will be placed along the trail surrounding the lake and a lotus sculpture will float on the lake.  “Flow” will be a solar-powered installation with a timer to turn off the sculpture’s lights at 10:30 pm. At night, the sculptures come alive with glowing light from the crystal cattails and lotus flowers. The illuminated lake will create a scenic backdrop to the Chesterfield Amphitheater during summer events. “Flow” will honor the waterways and ecosystems that make Chesterfield such a uniquely beautiful place to live, all while adding a little magic to the scene. The goal of the project is draw people's attention away from their day-to-day life and invite them to explore the incredible ecosystem created by our wetlands. 

Leland Drexler-Russell is a local sculptor, designer and fabricator. His projects offer a dynamic framework designed to allow each participant to be uniquely enveloped by their own imaginative world. His inspiration comes from the amazingly diverse flora and fauna found on the earth and speculative astrobiology of faraway worlds.

For more information about the artist, the sculpture, or the Public Art Competition, please contact arts@chesterfield.mo.us.