Do Something
GOOD for Your
Neighbor
Inspired by the natural beauty and rich history of Lake Como Park, this public art installation honors local community leaders and celebrates the community.
This artistic sculptural plaza invites people to gather and gaze both outward and inward.
At its center, a weathering steel sculpture acts as a literal and figurative frame for the community. The ‘gap’ in the frame, bridged by the recognition of community leaders, shines a light on work that’s been accomplished while also suggesting there is more to do. Benches, which are custom carved from 100-year-old white oak, offer visitors a place to sit and reflect.
The structure is engraved with significant text excerpts from The Lake Como Weekly archives and other historically relevant documents. Selected words and phrases emphasize themes of community and identify significant historical community leaders, including the editor and founder of The Lake Como Weekly, William H. Wilburn Sr., and Amon G. Carter Sr., the land donor who helped establish Lake Como Park.
This is an original artwork commissioned by and included in the public art collection of the City of Fort Worth, Texas.
Public Art
Stakeholders sought to reinforce the identity of this diverse community’s beloved lake park as the heartbeat of the neighborhood – a place for everyone to come together.
Calling for an installation that, “… protects the beauty of Lake Como and recognizes its community’s heritage as a profound authority for the City of Fort Worth,” The Lake Como Public Art Master Plan prescribed a project with soul, spirit, mind, and heart. Key themes are highlighted in the engraved steel panels, as written by the Lake Como Weekly editor himself, “There should be a place where everyone can go…for after all, we are all human beings, all striving to live in peace and harmony together.”
As the Lake Como Community leaders stated, “Today, our historic African American Community celebrates the Lake Como pioneers, legends, and heroes, and embraces the diversity of our evolving community.” “Do Something Good for Your Neighbor” will celebrate that vision for generations to come.
The piece was designed and influenced by community stakeholder engagement, research of the archives of The Lake Como Weekly and multiple visits to the site creating an installation that reflects the communities desire to honor its past, consider the present and reach out to future residents and visitors expressing shared values best summed up by The Lake Como Weekly’s masthead artwork and namesake of the project: “Do something GOOD for your Neighbor”.
Lighting Design
Lighting brings life and welcome to the art installation at night.
LED lighting creates a low-glare environment that illuminates the art piece while also minimizing lighting glare to park visitors. Likewise, the lighting used throughout is highly vandal-resistant and recessed into the ground to deter theft of the fixtures or components. Six efficient LED fixtures, controlled through existing daylight sensors, add a level of security at night and a warm and welcoming invitation to passersby.