Central Virginia has long had a sense of legacy and heritage. A part of that heritage embraces the arts, the visual, stage, dance, filmmaking and the written word. ArtInPlace, a local non-profit program is one of the ways Central Virginia brings visual art out of the confines of the museum and onto the street for all to see. In several places all over Charlottesville, ArtInPlace has chosen and installed a whimsical selection of outdoor sculptures ranging from a whale’s fluke to a running executive’s suit. This is one of the ways the organization has supported the arts in the city along with its bike rack program and landscaping efforts. In May, the endeavor to bring the arts outdoors, much like ArtInPalce does, to the little river town of Scottsville is being led by town businessman Mike Milam, the owner of Structural Steel Management, a company that designs and fabricates ornamental steel structures and does engineering work as well.

The Scottsville Dream Chimes, the piece is titled by Milam, is a steel structure, loosely based on a circular dream catcher with the addition of several four-foot wind chimes hanging in the center of the circle. It is sourced from a smaller scale design by Bruce Acosta, Milam’s brother-in-law and an artist that has worked on many projects with Structural Steel. The sculpture is 17 feet tall and is nine feet in diameter. The impetus for creating this piece for Milam was economic, as he felt there was a market for steel-based artwork and he also saw the sculpture as a way to beautify the old building his company now occupies. 

“I thought it would be nice to do something for the town, put some sort of sculpture that would look nice on the corner,” states Milam, as well as catch the eye of the viewer.

He wanted to embrace the arts the same way the arts are embraced in Charlottesville and he desired to create something for the historic town that “wasn’t too far out there.” Working with Acosta as an artistic consultant, Milam brought the piece to life which now graces the corner of Route 6 and James River Road.

Milam’s wife suggested that he add something special to the unique artistic effort by tying yellow ribbons to it in honor of soldiers serving overseas. The idea came to her after reading an article on Hunter Conrad, a Scottsville resident serving in Afghanistan, and his mother, Anne. They also thought of another soldier that was living in the Tidewater area of Virginia, who had ties to Scottsville.

With the addition of the idea of tribute ribbons, the sculpture would debut on a very fitting day, Memorial Day of this year. After the parents of these two soldiers approved of the idea, Milam tied the ribbons to the installed piece. He has room for more, so he is offering anyone from the area with a loved one serving in the Armed Forces overseas a space to have a ribbon tied to the chimes. Families can bring a ribbon with the name of a soldier written on it, and Milam and his staff (for safety reasons) will tie it on the structure for the family.

The sculpture has made an impression with the people of Scottsville. Jan Glennie-Smith, a resident of the old river town, is a supporter of the arts in the area and especially enjoys ArtInPlace. She took an interest in the sculpture not long after it was installed. She is “so delighted to see something artistic in Scottsville” out in the open for all to see. She considers Milam an artisan, and she said it is wonderful that he is on that corner.

If you are a Central Virginian that calls Albemarle, Fluvanna, Buckingham, Nelson or any other community in the vicinity of Scottsville, home, and wish to have a yellow ribbon tied on the Dream Chimes in honor of an overseas military man or woman added to the sculpture, contact Milam at Structural Steel at (434) 286-2373.  He will make the arrangements to tie your yellow ribbon in tribute to a soldier, sailor, airman, marine, or a coastie serving overseas in the U.S. Military.