The Art Bench Project
The Woodlands Arts Council

In partnership with The Woodlands Township, this public art bench
project is ongoing in Town Center, The Woodlands.

The Art Bench Project by The Woodlands Arts Council Town Center is one of the largest collections of public art in Texas. It’s also one of the most unique, and practical art installations to date. As you walk along The Woodlands Waterway, or the shore of Lake Woodlands at Hughes Landing, you can view, and even take a short rest and a selfie any of the of the public art benches all of them within view of the waterway.

Created by local, national, and international artists with interesting styles and techniques, the art benches add their own flare to Town Center. Each of the public benches are underwritten by a local business or individual(s) who completed a  personal questionnaire reflecting an overall bench design idea and suggest a location. Pre-selected artists then used the information to guide a design for their selected art-bench-project, and submitted a plan. The underwriters then chose the design which resonated with them the most, and another art bench was born.

The Art Bench Project by The Woodlands Arts Council Town Center is a non-profit organization with the mission to promote public art and the creative economy. The Arts Council raises the money, selects the artists and then works with The Woodlands Township on the site selection. After the bench is complete, ownership of the benches is assumed by The Woodlands Township who then maintains the benches throughout their useful life.

A few of the Art Benches are interactive, and technically, you could sit on all of them, we can think of at least one which really isn’t built for seating (Why Sit When You Can Play). The Urban Conga bench for example is modeled after a xylophone, while the Light Balls Bench glows from the interior of it’s namesake, while the Woodlands Wind-O, is an architectural window-frame bench. Some of the art benches such as the fanciful Umbrella Tree Bench, reflect the local environment, while other art benches are fanciful, all of art bench project displays are built to please.

Printable Art Bench Map

Angel Wings

  • Angel Wings Art Bench Woodlands Waterway

“Angel Wings”

The Angel Wings Art Bench is adjacent to Waterway Square, near the Westin Hotel, on the Waterway.

Artist: Jim Weitzel, from Forest City, North Carolina Underwriters: Frank and Maria Holmes, in memory of their son Yancey M. Holmes

Amber Art Bench

  • Amber Art Bench Town Green Park The Woodlands

“Amber”

The “Amber” Art Bench Project in The Woodlands, TX. “Amber” weighs over 100 pounds and is made out of wood, corten steel, and of course, amber. On display inside the amber are fossilized leaves seemingly floating in the sunlight.

Artist: Luis Pavon, from Malaga, Spain Underwriter: Woodforest National Bank

Bean Art Bench

  • Beam Art Bench near CWMP, The Woodlands Waterway

“Bean”

The Bean Bench is located along the upper level of Town Green Park.

Artist: Valerie Theberge, from Washington, D.C. Underwriters: Gayle and Todd Kuoni

Caetano’s Peace

  • Caetano's Peace Art Bench The Woodlands Waterway

“Caetano’s Peace”

“Caetano’s Peace” Art Bench is located on the waterway, just outside of waterway square.

Artist: Rollin Karg, from Kechi, Kansas Underwriter: Benchmark Hospitality International

Crete Rest

  • Crete Art Bench at Waterway Square

“Crete Bench Rest”

Crete Bench Rest is located at Waterway Square Park, at waterway sidewalk level.

Artist: Victoria Goldstein, from Houston, Texas Underwriter: The Woodlands Arts Council

Discovery Bench

  • Discovery Art Bench at CWMP

“Discovery”

“Discovery Art Bench” is located on the south lawn of the pavilion, facing the waterway.

Artists: Michelle Old, Kevin Giuseppetti, Stacy Moore and Derek Giuseppetti, from The Woodlands, Texas Underwriters: James, Janet, Sarah and Maggie Stilwell

Family Bench

  • Family Art Bench at The Woodlands Mall

“Family”

The Family Art Bench is located at The Woodlands Mall, looking south over the waterway.

Artist: Terrell Powell, from Austin, Texas Underwriters: Gordy and Michelle Bunch

Family Tree Bench

  • Family Tree Art Bench The Woodlands

“Family Tree”

The Family Tree Art Bench is located on the Town Green Park side of the Waterway, in view of the kayakers at Riva Row Boathouse.

Artist: Don Lawler, from Stephensport, Kentucky Underwriter: Highland Woods Health

Foot Rest Bench

  • Foot Rest Art Bench, The Woodlands Mall

“Foot Rest”

The Foot Rest Art Bench is located outside the Cheesecake Factory and PF Chang, at The Woodlands Mall.

Artist: Rod Flower, from The Woodlands, Texas Underwriters: Robert and Renee Neville

Free Spirit Bench

  • Free Spirit Art Bench Waterway in Town Center

“Free Spirit”

The Free Spirit Art Bench is located at Hughes Landing on Lake Woodlands, not far from the Kayak Rental house.

Artist: Paul Reimer, from Cranbrook, British Columbia Underwriter: Margarita Sesma de Tricio, in memory of Martin Tricio Montaña

Light Balls Bench

  • Light Ball Art Bench at Waterway Square

“Light Balls Bench”

Located at Waterway Square Park, the Light Balls Art Bench is convenient spot to enjoy the waterwall.

Artist: Manfred Kielnhofer, from Linz, Austria Underwriter: The Howard Hughes Corporation.

Mipenipa Bench

  • Mipenipa Art Bench The Woodlands Waterway

“Mipenipa”

The Art Bench Mipenipa is located along the waterway near the Marriot Hotel.

Artist: Chris Miller, from Calais, Vermont Underwriters: Mitchell, Peggy, Nicholas and Patrick Hausman

Mystical Senses

“Mystical Senses”

The Mystical Senses Art Bench overlooks the lower waterway at Riva Row

Artist: Gaston Carrio, from Houston, Texas Underwriters: Amy Cope-Gibbs and Jon Gibbs

Ode to Joy Bench

  • Ode to Joy Art Bench at The Woodlands Pavilion

“Ode to Joy”

The Ode to Joy Art Bench is located in an location, the Woodlands Pavilion south lawn.

Artist: Dan Skaggs, from Laguna Beach, California Underwriter: The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

On Bayou Bench

  • Ode to Joy Art Bench at The Woodlands Pavilion

“On the Bayou”

On The Bayou Art Bench is located along the lower waterway near Riva Row Boathouse.

Artist: John V. Weber, from Galveston, Texas Underwriter: Amy Cope-Gibbs and Jon Gibbs

Penstemon Bench

  • Penstemon Art Bench - The Waterway

“Penstemon”

Penstemon Art Bench is located along the Waterway, across from Riva Row Condominiums.

Artist: Daniel Hornung, from Tucson, Arizona Underwriters: Beth and Doug Grijalva

Proud Souls

  • Proud Souls Art Bench near Town Green Park

“Proud Souls”

The “Mystical Senses” Art Bench is located at the base of The Woodlands Waterway water wall at Riva Row Boat House. Nearby Town Green Park is a great starting point to meet a friend and begin an exploration into the world of The Woodlands Waterway Art Benches.

Artist: Gaston Carrio, from Houston, Texas Underwriter: Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center

Quercus Art Bench

  • Quercus Art Bench Hughes Landing

“Quercus”

Quercus Art Bench is located at Hughes Landing within view of the bandstand.

Artist: Owen Dixon, from Peterborough, Ontario Underwriters: Jeff and Deborah Coburn

Resolute Art Bench

  • Resolute Art Bench - Town Center

“Resolute”

The Resolute Art Bench overlooks north Panther Branch (Lake Woodlands) at Hughes Landing, near the Riva Row Kayak House.

Artist: Paul Reimer, from Cranbrook, British Columbia Underwriter: The Dorman Family, in memory of Matt Dorman

Seated w/ Santiago

  • Seated with Santiago Art Bench

“Seated with Santiago”

Seated With Santiago Art Bench overlooking over Town Green park at the Waterway. Six other art benches are visible while sitting on the “Seated with Santiago” art bench in The Woodlands.

Artist: Michael O’ Brien, from San Antonio, Texas Underwriters: Tom and Patricia Pursley, dedicated to veterans

Sound of Healing

  • Sound of Healing Art Bench Hughes Landing alongside Lake Woodlands

“Sound of Healing”

The Sound of Healing Art Bench is located on the eastern shore of Panther Branch, near the Rock the Row stage at Hughes Landing.
Artists: Michelle Old, Kevin Giuseppetti, Stacy Moore and Derek Giuseppetti, from The Woodlands, Texas Underwriter: Canopy, with Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center

Stardust Art Bench

  • Stardust Art Bench The Woodlands Waterway

“Stardust”

Stardust Art Bench is placed along the south side of the waterway, within view of Town Green Park.

Artist: Elizabeth Akamatsu, from Nacodoches, Texas Underwriters: David and Brenda Gottlieb

State of Texas

“State of Texas”

The “State of Texas” Art Bench is located along the Woodlands Waterway, near the pavilion.

Artist: Carolina Gonzalez, from Houston, Texas Underwriters: Bruce and Diana Tough

"Texas Dawn Water Lily"

  • Texas Dawn Waterlily On The Waterway, across from The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

“Texas Dawn Water Lily”

The “Texas Dawn Water Lily” Art Bench, located on the Southside of The Woodlands Waterway across from The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.

Artist: Kyle Thornley, from Revelstok, British Columbia Underwriters: Heather, Shin and Seth Dickens

Umbrella Tree

  • Umbrella Tree Art Bench at The Woodlands Riva Row

“Umbrella Tree”

The “Umbrella Tree” Art Bench is located close to Riva Row Boathouse and serves a metaphor for the “universal pleasure of sitting under the shade of a tree.

Artist: Dan Skaggs, from Laguna Beach, California Underwriter: The Shedden Family

Unmasked Symbiosis

  • Unmasked Symbiosis Art Bench Hughes Landing at Lake Woodlands

“Unmasked Symbiosis”

Unmasked Symbiosis Art Bench is located at Hughes Landing in Town Center.

Artists: Gaston Carrio, from Houston, Texas Underwriter: Strike

Why Sit When You Can Play

  • Why sit when you can play interactive musical bench The Woodlands Waterway

“Why Sit When You Can Play?”

The Urban Conga Art Bench is located on the Waterway, at Waterway Square Park, in Town Center.

Artist: The Urban Conga, a design firm founded by Ryan Swanson, from Tampa, Florida Underwriters: The Alex and Sharon Sutton Family

Woodlands Wind-O

  • Wind O Art Bench Hughes Landing at Lake Woodlands

“Woodlands Wind-O”

The Woodlands Wind-O Art Bench is positioned near Lake Woodlands, at Hughes Landing.

Artist: Stereotank, a design studio founded by Marcelo Ertorteguy and Sara Valente, from Miami, Florida Underwriters: Michael and Vicki Richmond

You Are Loved

  • You Are Loved Art Bench The Woodlands Town Green Park

“You Are Loved”

The “You Are Loved” Art Bench is located near the Waterway, at Town Green Park, in Town Center.

Artists: Michelle Old, Stacy Moore and Kevin Giuseppetti, from The Woodlands, Texas Underwriters: Debbie and Sparky Gullo