1178 - Life's a Bench! Wizard of Oz Bench by Leisa Luis-Grill

With the success of Rochester’s first public art project The Goose is Loose, the Greater
Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust continued with a second public art project. The city of
Rochester needed more downtown benches, so the project Life’s a Bench, so named by
then Mayor Ardell Brady, was born.

However, these were not ordinary benches. Each 67” long bench was manufactured in
Michigan and fabricated of solid steel. The bench was designed by prominent Chicago
designer and author Margaret McCurry. Ms. McCurry received a B.A. in art history from
Vassar College , was a fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and has
received many awards including from the American Institute of Architects. The original
design of the bench had a cut-out back which was replaced at great cost for a plain
back to provide a better canvas for the artists.

Minnesota artists were brought together at Graham Arena to work on their benches in a group setting to bring the vision of their sponsors to life. In addition to funding by individual sponsors, grants were provided by the Rochester Downtown Alliance and the
Southeastern MN Arts Council through voter and legislative action establishing the arts
and cultural heritage fund. The result is a city-wide gallery of painted benches, each one
unique, whimsical and full of Rochester flair.

Artist Leisa Luis Grill designed this Wizard of Oz bench as a Rainbow Bridge memorial
to the sponsors’ parents and beloved poodle Sir Rusty, who is placed somewhere in the
design if you can find him. All the benches were painted with Rustoleum paint, and Lisa
also used markers for finer touches. The finishing touch to assist in preservation was a
coating of automotive urethane applied by a professional auto refinisher. The bench
plaque was designed and created by the company that created Mayo Clinic’s plaques at
the time.

Life’s a Bench! reminds us that art thrives in unexpected corners, and that utilitarian
seating can become a celebration of community spirit. Let the colors and creativity
surprise and inspire you as you wander around Rochester.