Verna Bartnick, Time to Let Go, 2005

Time to Let Go by Verna Bartnick was inspired by a sculpture that former TART Trails Executive Director Bob Otwell saw with his family on a trip to the Netherlands. This sculptural vignette captures the significance of the bicycle, not only as an integral component of every day life, but as a symbol of freedom. Bartnick, along with the assistance of T.J. Carroll, completed the installation on the TART Trail at the Open Space is 2005.

A bronze work, Time to Let Go was commissioned by TART Trails to commemorate community support for the Pathways to the Future capital campaign. This campaign improved and expanded the TART Trails network, allowing it to blossom into the connected 100+ mile system that it is today.

About the Artist

A Michigan native, Verna Bartnick maintains a studio and operates the Bella Galleria on the Old Mission Peninsula. Her work is featured in the communities of Traverse City, Kalamazoo, and Boynton Beach, Florida. Bartnick frequently follows the cire perdue or “lost wax” process for bronze casting, allowing not only for incredible intricacy, but also reproduction.