Maria Artemis is an Atlanta based Artist. She was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, and received her BA in Psychology from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, her MFA from the University of Georgia, and an MS from the College of Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology. Artemis taught for over 25 years at the Atlanta College of Art, and has been a guest speaker and lecturer at numerous universities, conferences, and panels, including Visiting Professor at Agnes Scott College; Program Presenter for the National Sculpture Conference, Ohio; Keynote Speaker for the 11th Annual School Art Symposium, Athens, Georgia; Visiting Artist at Harvard University School of Design; and an Artist-in-Residence in Cortona, Italy. Artemis is the recipient of many awards, grants and commissions. She most recently received the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgias Working Artist Award-09 which included a solo exhibition in August-September 09, and was included in the Georgia Council for the Arts 2009 Publication, Georgia Masterpieces: Selected Works from Georgias Museums. Other awards include a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, Mayors Fellowship in the Arts Award, Georgia Women in the Visual Arts Award, and a Ford Foundation Grant. Artemis maintains both an active studio and public art practice.
Maria Artemis | 2011
Artemis was commissioned by Atlanta Beltline Inc. to work with the landscape architecture and engineering firm HDR during the planning phase for the Clear Creek Storm Water Relief Project and Park. The overall design goal was to provide an aesthetic solution for a complex storm water facility. Three sites were chosen with the design team for concentrated artistic engagement:
• The West Plaza - special paving and large granite quarry stones are used to define the space of the terraced West Plaza and its relationship to the park beyond. Six of the twenty-six stones in the plaza design are custom shaped, inviting interaction. Four of these form seats fitted into the lowest wall marking the edge of the plaza.
• The North Plaza Fountain is fabricated from seven vertical granite stone slabs each drilled so that the water flows, through the stone from the bottom and out at an angle towards the off centered rough stone basin, also emitting water. The fountain echoes the duel nature of the project itself-Storm Water Relief project and Park. As a focal point in the overall park environment the North Plaza Fountain also serves the environmental function of aerating the pond water, improving its quality before it is returned to the river in a measured way.
• Water Wall Stone Elements - Six quarry stones of varied sizes punctuate the 30 ft. long, 17 ft. high water wall. This feature serves the same function as the North Plaza fountain, as well as providing an engaging visual spectacle from several vantage points around the park. The park was dedicated in the spring of 2011.