New Mann-made creation connects community of Centerville, Ohio

Beyond blossoms and bridges and beneath a bower of trees stands a sight that silently beckons in Leonard E. Stubbs Memorial Park located in Centerville, Ohio.

There, in the distance, a rust-colored stage awaits, complete with a cello and chair. In one corner, a dancer reaches for the stars, while a critter or two dot the lawn around the stage.

Welcome to the world of Jack D. Mann, professor of art.

Commissioned by the city of Centerville to design its second piece of public sculpture and challenged to create a work that celebrates the performing arts, Mann said he knew he wanted to design a large interactive sculpture, a piece that invites unsuspecting guests to be a part of the art and that allows free reign to flights of every imagination.

Centerville Assistant City Manager Judy Gilleland and members of the Centerville Art Commission dedicated the piece this summer, and a contest to name the sculpture increased community involvement in the project.

A parody of William Shakespeare’s often quoted “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” from As You Like It was the inspiration for the winning title All the Woods a Stage.

Mann admitted that public sculpture or any sculpture commissioned by someone or some group is difficult to do. “Pleasing is the word that comes to mind,” he explained.

“You have to please so many people, and most don’t want art anyway. The trick is to stick to your guns and teach them about sculpture and art and creativity.”

Mann’s creative worlds can also been seen in other parts of Ohio. At the north end of I- 75, Mann’s representation of peace can be shared in Peace House, located in the Peace Garden at Bluffton College.

This work, one of three winners in a contest of interactive sculpture that interprets ideas of peace, was made possible through the corporate sponsorship of Honda of America.

At the south end of I-75 sits another Mann-made creation. Located at Rockdale Temple in Cincinnati, Mann’s Holocaust Memorial presents an opportunity to “think, reflect and learn.”

Inside stand 18 children made of mirror-finish stainless steel, each representing life and hope as they look outward.

The outside sculpture, made of Cor-ten steel, contains more complex visual imagery of both Jewish history and the Holocaust. In Columbus, visitors can glimpse another world created by Mann, titled Steel Life.

The sculpture graces the lawn of the Karl Road Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library and offers a scene of tranquility.

Mann said that patiently moving people in his direction takes a lot of energy, which he would rather put into his work, but he acknowledges that with help from sub-contractors, welders, electricians, concrete and earthmovers, cranes and lighting, it can and must be done.

“It is, of course, thrilling to see one’s creative ideas come to life,” he said.

—Phyllis Eberts