Stephen Canneto (1943-)

Beacon of Well-Being, 2019

Materials: Laser-cut stainless steel, plasma-cut dichroic and stained glass.

Location at Summa Health:  Dr. Gary B. and Pamela S. Williams Tower on the Akron Campus (141 N. Forge St.), great lawn in front of entrance.

Site-specific commission by Summa Health awarded after a national juried competition.

About the Art and the Artist

This uplifting, multi-figural sculpture sets a tone of celebration and collaboration as visitors arrive at the new main entrance of Summa Health System Akron Campus.

Standing 18 feet tall, the seven figures are integrated into the urban landscape in a way that captures attention and invites curiosity. Their large scale and dynamic poses encourage passersby to pause, engage, and reflect on the energy and spirit of the space. Within a loosely formed circle, the simplified figures join hands in motion, playing and dancing, drawing the viewer’s eye toward the uplifted child and the colorful sphere, which symbolizes the beacon of wellbeing referenced in the title.

According to the artist, the group represents all those who come together at Summa Health in support of healing: medical professionals, staff, patients, families, and caregivers. The 36-inch sphere, or beacon, reflects the collective knowledge, experience, compassion, and insight that contribute to community wellbeing.

Stephen Canneto has enjoyed a long and accomplished career as an artist. He recalls creating images and objects even as a child. After serving in the United States Air Force, he worked for US Steel, where he discovered a love for large scale work and developed the technical expertise required to plan, budget, and manage complex installations. Today, Canneto specializes in sculpture and installations that often involve collaboration with industrial fabricators and the use of specialized equipment.

While many people think of art as paintings in a studio, Beacon of Wellbeing, like many works in the Summa Healing Arts Collection, was created through a highly technical process. The sculpture began as a maquette, or scale model, submitted as part of a juried competition. The model helped convey the artist’s vision, materials, and proportions. From there, detailed construction drawings were developed, outlining the specific dimensions, materials, and fabrication methods needed to bring the work to life.

To create the figures, Canneto’s fabricator used a plasma cutting process to shape each form from stainless steel sheets between one half and five eighths of an inch thick. Because the sculpture is designed for outdoor display, it also meets key engineering standards for structural integrity, wind resistance, and safety. Once cut, the steel surfaces were protected during the shaping and welding process, then polished to a reflective finish. The sphere, by contrast, was assembled from stainless steel pipe and fitted with stained and dichroic glass panels, which were precisely cut using a water jet process.

Each figure was positioned according to the artist’s original vision, with final adjustments made on site. The completed sculpture was shipped to Akron in sections and installed on the great lawn at Summa Health.

Canneto has created numerous sculptures and installations for places of healing and worship, consistent with his belief in art as a pathway to deeper understanding and human connection. As part of his ongoing commitment to social justice, he also worked for 16 years with incarcerated youth through Art for a Child Safe America, an organization he founded to support young people at risk of violence.

Where to See More of Stephen Canneto’s Work

An overview of Canneto’s work, including collaborative projects with Judith Spater Canneto, can be found online. His portfolio includes both figural and abstract sculptures, as well as installations and mobiles incorporating dichroic glass. His public art can be seen throughout Columbus, Ohio, including commissions for Mount Carmel Health Systems, Mull Weithman Architects, and multiple downtown installations. Other works are featured at Dayton Children’s Hospital, the Dayton Metro Library, and in cities such as Rockville, Maryland, and Coral Springs, Florida.