TRENTON, GA.- The artist, Bob Dombrowski, worked within a cooperative endeavor that involved the state of Georgia, the city of Trenton, the industrial-based National Boiler Service, and the Trenton Arts Council.

The completed sculpture is an illustration of cooperation and partnership.

The Trenton Arts Council and National Boiler Service are the primary partners in this project. The project illustrates the possibilities that can emerge from a cooperative sensibility in a small community.

Sketches developed by artist Bob Dombrowski were converted into a large scale sculpture tableau by welder and engineering employees of National Boiler. The pieces were fabricated from refuse and scrap generated by the boiler making process. When completed, the sculpture tableau was placed on highly visible land owned by the city of Trenton. The installation itself was accomplished through assistance by city employees.

Because of the catastrophically windy and unusual raininess of the spring, installation of the sculpture was delayed for over a month. Not only was the rain a problem, but the entire city maintenance department was working overtime clearing trees from roads and storm sewers.

The sculpture is “Aspiration”. Steel plate and metal rod are installed on concrete bases. As it is landscaped, the surrounding lot will become a part of the sculpture. The sculpture is located alongside Highway #11 just north of downtown Trenton. The artist is Bob Dombrowski, a resident of Dade County, Georgia.

Subsequent to the placement of the sculpture tableau, the city high school agricultural students will take over the responsibility of developing a landscaping around the sculpture that uses regional plants as the basis of a plan that enhances and makes inviting the entire site. Also, the sculpture, including the cooperative method of construction, will be a focal point of the Dade County high school art education program.

Considering the minimal funding from the Georgia Arts Projects and the city of Trenton, the project is enormous. Without the donated time and materials from National Boiler Service, located in Trenton, the project could not even be considered.

Jon Talbott, of National Boiler, explains that most of the employees live in Trenton and enjoy contributing to their own community. As with other community-based projects that they’d assisted with, Talbot said, a sense of community pride is developed among the company’s employees. People enjoy taking pride in their communities, he said.

The work producing the sculpture was blended into the normal working schedules at National Boiler.