Tiles, Mosaics & Benches, Oh My! - Moorestown, NJ - Artistic Seating on Waymarking.com

These are the neatest, (but not very comfortable), benches ever! The seats are made of concrete and the back part of each bench is where the tiled mosaic can be found. The decorative benches can be found in Remembrance Park, near the center of town. The are arranged in a semi-circle, six in all, so everyone can sit at once!

I found the following HERE. "Come see our beautiful park and gardens at the corner of West Second Street and Camden Avenue. In partnership with Perkins Center for the Arts and the Township, we founded Moorestown Remembrance Park--a lovely oasis of trees and flowers that contains benches and planters adorned with colorful ceramic tile mosaics. This original art, depicting plants and wildlife indigenous to southern New Jersey, was created by 60 residents led by a professional ceramic artist."

In 1910, Moorestown Improvement Association (established in 1904) purchased and landscaped the triangular lot at Second Street and Camden Avenue, which was turned over to the township in 1918 and later became a war memorial park for those Moorestonians who had died in the service of their country during World War I. Still later, in 2003 Financial contributions for Remembrance Park came from this organization. The Township of Moorestown maintains this park. The sign which greets visitors lists all the donors who contributed to the building ofd this park.

Kathrine Hackly is the artist responsible for the tiles on the benches. She was commissioned to make these benches in 2004. "Perkins Center for the Arts, in Moorestown NJ, collaborated with Katherine Hackl to receive a grant from the mid-Atlantic Arts Council "Artists in Communities" program. Together, they worked with Community Link of Moorestown to develop a project incorporating original tile artwork made by members of the local community. Katherine worked with over 60 community members of all ages to create unique tiles depicting the chosen theme of indigenous plants and animals of the Moorestown region. This tile work was installed on a series of custom made concrete benches and planters located in the new pocket park in downtown Moorestown." Here is her WEB SITE and my source. If you are really fond of these benches, go to her site, click on the public art link, find the park, click on that, and then you can see pictures of the benches being made in her workshop, and opening day as well as other photos.