Art museum fountain about to flow

Main Street gets an eyecatching and cooling focal point today when the Columbia Museum of Art turns on a sculptural fountain.

The piece, which stands 30 feet tall, was a long time coming. The museum had planned to have a big sculpture on the corner since its move to Main and Hampton streets in 1998.

"It's been a dream of mine since I arrived to do this," said Karen Brosius, who became museum director in 2004.

The fountain, by Rodney Carroll of Baltimore, arrives a year later than planned at nearly twice the original cost estimate, going from $265,000 to $485,000.

"A couple of things happened," Brosius said. "The amount of waterworks he wanted was extensive ..... . We decided we wanted to use a firm here, and the bids were higher than we expected."

The plumbing cost more, as did the copper-and-nickel alloy, bronze and stainless steel of which the sculpture is made.

While the cost went up, the museum has raised all the money -- and more -- for the fountain.

"It really touched a chord," said Suzan Boyd, who was mu- seum board chairwoman when the project was approved.

The sculptor, who has done pieces for the Symphony Center and the Walters Arts Museum in Baltimore; Tower Park Corp. in Newport News, Va.; and the Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center in Florida, calls the Columbia piece "Apollo's Cascade." In Greek mythology, the god Apollo was the guardian of his three sisters, the Muses of art.

The project started with a $100,000 donation from Colliers Keenan commercial real estate. The museum got $45,000 raised by the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties for a sculpture as well.

The rest was raised by the museum staff and board members who asked individuals and businesses for donations.

The original concept for the fountain was rather light and airy, with curving, petal-like shapes. As Carroll worked on it, he moved toward something more visually strong.

"It has a certain gravitas to it now," Brosius said.

Although the city of Columbia owns the plaza on which the fountain sits, it provided no funding. That doesn't bother Brosius or Boyd.

"We're operating the museum and plaza for the benefit of the city," Brosius said. "We're using the plaza more and more. We want it to be a cultural and community gathering place. If downtown thrives, we thrive."

The unveiling takes place at noon today. It's free and open to the public.

Reach Day at (803) 771-8518.