Robotics Team Students Create Replicas of Thomas Sayre Sculptures for Artsplosure’s Art Putt Mini-Golf Course

Students of the VEX Robotics Team at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School are creating large-scale replicas of two of Sayre’s iconic Raleigh sculptures.

The two replica sculptures, based on Sayre’s works ‘Gyre’ and ‘Pillar of Light’, will be featured as part of the Art Putt mini-golf interactive art installation at Artsplosure – The Raleigh Arts Festival 2016.

Art Putt, which made its debut at First Night Raleigh 2016, is a nine-hole miniature golf course that features the work of local artists or groups of artists. Each selected artist developed concepts based on an established theme. This year’s Art Putt theme was Artistic Inspiration, and artists were encouraged to create works based on the work of an artist, an artistic style, or a particular piece of art.

This will be the team’s first time as Art Putt artists, with instructor Travis Beatty explained his motivation for involving the engineering team in this creative project:

“I am always looking for ways to get my student volunteers to connect with the world around them. During our first meeting for the Art Putt project, I asked them if the knew the name Thomas Sayre – and I was greeted with blank stares. When I asked them if they had been to the NC Museum of Art or the IMAX Theater I was immediately regaled with stories of their experiences. During the design and build of this project volunteers have gone from not knowing that they knew Thomas Sayre's work, to having an intimate appreciation for it and pride that amazing works like these are in our city.”

Art Putt will be free and open to the public at the 37th annual Artsplosure – The Raleigh Arts Festival 2016. Festival-goers can find the Art Putt course in Moore Square in downtown Raleigh on May 21-22 alongside live music at the Park Stage, and other interactive activities. In addition to Moore Square’s happenings, Artsplosure will host three days of festivities on Fayetteville Street, including performances at the City Plaza Main Stage, and the Artsplosure juried Art Market, all on May 20 through May 22.

For more information about Art Putt and Artsplosure - The Raleigh Arts Festival in downtown Raleigh May 20-22, please visit raleighartsfestival.com!