whim pg 1 6-1-23
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caption, page 1:
Dan Durand's steel sculpture of a dragonfly among flowers was recently installed at the reborn Providence Street Municipal Memorial Garden. More photos on page 4 and expanded photo gallery Wed. night on FB: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.
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From left: Artist Dan Durand, Putnam Economic and Community Development Director Carly DeLuca and Quiet Corner Garden Club's Michelle Lengyel ... and the dragonfly, of course.
Flower closeup, left. Dragonfly body closeup above.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — A discussion about natural and whimsical transformed into a custom dragonfly that now graces the Providence Street Municipal Memorial Garden.
Elaine Turner, president of the Art Guild Northeast and the Quiet Corner Garden Club, was looking for a piece of art to crown the towns’ newly reborn garden on Providence Street.
Artist Dan Durand of Pomfret and Turner discussed the feel of the garden and Durand came up with a whimsical steel dragonfly among some steel flowers.
Durand said he used found materials, the only exception being the wings which he had a friend plasma cut. “Everything else is recycled,” he said. It’s an important part of his art. One of the steel flowers moves and the supports are so delicate looking it looks as though the dragonfly may take flight.
The concrete bases had bolts imbedded to hold the dragonfly supports. The garden club worked around the bases, installing more than 200 plants recently.
May 26 Durand brought the dragonfly to the garden and installed it.
Pointing to the final paint job on the body of the dragonfly he said he painted it a few times — searching for “just right.” Different colors. Glitter. Removing the glitter. Removing colors that didn’t seem to work, finally settling on a mix of greens and blues.
Dragonflies symbolize transformation. Perfect.
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