23 Mar Greater Augusta Arts Council Announces Art Cart Unveiling – Tuesday, March 27, 2PM
Greater Augusta Arts Council Announces Art Cart Unveiling – Tuesday, March 27, 2PM
Augusta, GA – The Greater Augusta Arts Council will hold a Press Conference on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at 2:00pm to launch the prototype Art Cart. The unveiling will be held at the Willie H. Mays III building, home of the Public Defender’s Office, at 902 Greene St, Augusta, GA 30901.
The Art Cart is an interactive public art installation donated by Textron Specialized Vehicles. It is made from a golf car chassis that has been modified with a bike rack in back and solar panels on top to power charging outlets for handheld devices. The chassis is covered in artwork by local artist, Richard Worth, which celebrates local arts and culture icons.
Thoughts from Artist Richard Worth on the design – “Upon being asked to submit art work, I thought of the famous people that I knew of that were from Augusta and researched photos that inspired me. Then I tied it together with colors and designs in a way to highlight our fine city. It is always an honor to be chosen to do a piece of artwork for Augusta to enjoy, since it is the city I first established my art career in.”
The City of Augusta, the Downtown Development Authority and the Greater Augusta Arts Council collaborated on this project with Textron Specialized Vehicles. Textron designed and donated the Cart, Richard Worth painted the original artwork, and Keen Signs manufactured and applied the vinyl wrap of the artwork. The Art Cart is an iconic piece for Augusta as 85% of all Golf Cars in the world are manufactured here in Augusta, GA, making us the Golf Car capital of the world. Anyone who would like to commission a new Art Cart can contact the Greater Augusta Arts Council at 706.826.4702.
About the Artist – Richard Worth
The “Art Cart” installation will feature work by local artist Richard Worth. Worth, an accomplished mural and sign artist in Augusta, Georgia, was born and raised in McMinnville, Tennessee. He attended Harris School of Advertising Art in Franklin, Tennessee, studying Advertising and Illustration. After leaving Harris, he worked in the McMinnville area doing various jobs in customized signs and artwork. In 1986 he took a job as a visual merchandiser for J.C. Penney, and was transferred to Milledgeville, Georgia. In 1989 he was relocated to Augusta, Georgia, where he became involved with local businesses and civic groups such as the Junior League and the Summerville Home Association. Through his involvement with these groups, he began to research the history of the local area in order to provide customized art for the historical homes in Summerville. As he established his reputation for creating custom artwork in the area, he began working in the greater Central Savannah River Area. After leaving J.C. Penney, Richard worked for a short period of time for J.B. Whites and Persnickety Interiors. In 1995, he was encouraged by a client to become a self-employed artist.
Richard opened Richard Worth Designs, Inc. as a retail shop in 1996 in Surrey Center. In the span of two years, it was evident that the demand for his work had outgrown the need for retail space. He expanded his work area to neighboring cities and states thorough out the southeast. In 1997, Richard married his wife, Kelly, who was raised in Columbia County. In 2000, they relocated to Evans, Georgia and became more involved in the local community. Richard began researching the rich history of Columbia County in order to incorporate the area into his work. In 2009, he was chosen to paint a large scale depiction of the Savannah River on the Augusta Water Works wall. Richard paints for a wide range of clients, including large businesses, churches, hospitals, medical and dental offices, schools, organizations, and homeowners.
Richard believes in creating realistic art that is easily understood. He is passionate about keeping art alive in communities and schools. He is very active in the education of his two children, both academically and creatively. He donates his time and talent to local charities and schools to support the local community in which his family and his clients live. He strives to make his work interesting by creating work with meaning that people can relate to. Richard loves to conceal images in his murals for people to find after closer observation, so as to keep people coming back to discover a new adventure every time. Through his recent advancement into social painting, Richard has found another avenue in which to involve his audience in his art and inspires them to be creative themselves.