Cheryl and Eric Dearmon have gifted two public art sculptures, “Smiley” and “Discover” to the City of Kannapolis. Both sculptures are already located in the City and were on loan from the artist, Tom Risser. With their purchase, the Dearmons have ensured the sculptures will remain in the City as permanent pieces of public art.
“The gift of these two pieces of public art is a continuance of the precedence set by Dr. Harold Cook and his family and by Lynne & Wally Safrit, who have previously donated sculptures to the City. It is our desire that these gifts bring to light the wonderful revitalization that is occurring in Kannapolis. We hope that all citizens are taking advantage of the parks, greenways, art, concerts, events, etc. that our city is providing,” commented Cheryl Dearmon.
“We are very fortunate to have outstanding leadership from our city staff & elected officials as we continue to grow. It is the citizens who benefit most from our growing city and hopefully they will continue to support this growth and become more involved with the city as volunteers for boards, commissions, and events,” continued Eric Dearmon. “It is our hope that these gifts will lead others to donate to the City’s Public Art Program.
“Art is a vital part of any community. It spurs conversation, creativity, and pride in our community. We are very appreciative of this significant gift from Cheryl and Eric as well as the many other ways they contribute to our City. Their involvement in numerous non-profits throughout the City and County has been invaluable over the years,” commented Kannapolis Mayor Darrell Hinnant.
Cheryl and Eric Dearmon are natives of Kannapolis. Cheryl is currently a Vice-President, Branch Manager for Uwharrie Bank. She has been in banking for 35 years. Eric is a Senior Vice President, Private Financial Advisor for Truist Investment Services. He has been a financial advisor for 39 years. Both are very active in the community. Their involvement includes board of director positions at the United Way, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, CMC Northeast Hospital Foundation, Crime Stoppers, Kannapolis Education Foundation & Downtown Kannapolis Inc. to name a few.
“Smiley” is located on West Avenue and is already one of the most popular sculptures in Kannapolis. His welcoming face greets everyone with its whimsical expression and features. Children and adults love to hug and take selfies with him.
The second sculpture is located in Village Park near the fountain and embodies the City’s brand, “Discover a Healthy Life.” This piece is also ten feet tall. It features symbols of peace, love and health.
North Carolina artist Tom Risser created both pieces using stainless steel. Risser created the “Discover” piece after visiting the City and admiring the work done to revitalize the downtown. “It is incredible to see how vibrant the City’s downtown has become in such a short period of time. Everywhere you look you see people enjoying a walk, a run or cycling. New businesses are opening. The energy here is an inspiration to me and I wanted to capture that with the sculpture,” Risser said.
An engineer by day Tom is President of U.S. Bottlers Machinery Company in Charlotte. He is a graduate of Guilford College with a degree in mathematics and engineering and an electrical engineering degree from North Carolina State University.
Twenty years ago, he began taking leftover materials from his company’s products and formed them into sculptures. As a self -taught artist he has experimented with many different types of medium including fused glass, polycarbonate, stone, paintings, shotcrete and photography.
Now an award-winning sculptor you can find his works in many cities, galleries, private collections, and businesses across the United States.
In 2016 he had a heart attack and subsequently heart bypass surgery. Since then he has incorporated hearts into many pieces of his work. The hearts are sometimes very visible and at other times they are hidden.
He is also known for his other hobby, skateboarding. He is the creator of many local skateboard facilities including WXW Sk8, The Blair Witch Ramp, Whip Snake Park and Tom’s Bowl. He has been featured on HGTV, Offbeat America, ESPN: Tony Hawk’s Giant Skatepark Tour and Carolina Traveler. He and his wife, Daisy, have a son, Sam, and a daughter, Carson.
For more information on all of the City’s public art visit www.kannapolisnc.gov/Community/Public-Art
If you would like to make a donation for public art to the City of Kannapolis contact Annette Privette Keller, Director of Communications at aprivettekeller@kannapolisnc.gov or 704.920.4311.