Artist Val Lyle used rope because it is a "metaphor for what ties people down and for what binds people together."
ABINGDON, VA -- Each year, the Virginia Highlands Festival in Abingdon commissions an artist to create a signature piece to represent the Festival and its theme. For 2009, the theme was "Entwined in the Virginia Highlands." When the Festival chose Val Lyle of Bristol, Tenn., Lyle offered her newest rope sculpture, "Entwined Dancers." In July, the Festival presented "Entwined Dancers" to the Town of Abingdon. The piece is now a permanent fixture of community art at Main Street Park, across from the U.S. Post Office.
This is the first time that the Festival has turned over ownership of its signature art to another entity; however, because the piece comes to life in a natural setting and because of its size, it was thought to be a wonderful outdoor piece that would add to the ambience of the historic town. The Festival hopes that this art will inspire those in the community to keep creating and being passionate about art.
The piece is constructed of aircraft carrier rope made of Kevlar, and it is heavily coated with resin. Lyle says that she uses rope because it is a "metaphor for what ties people down and for what binds people together." For information about artist Val Lyle, visit www.VGLyle.com.
