She stands with one pair of arms outstretched, while a second pair arch gracefully behind her. She gathers up the streams of water flowing from the hem of her gown -- or do they actually flow from her body? “Arria,’’ the colossal statue created for Cumbernauld, Scotland by sculptor Andy Scott, beautifully exemplifies this artist’s life-long commitment to the classical tradition of sculpture and to giving modern communities a taste of what their ancestors often took for granted: an awe-inspiring public statue that is also a comforting visual anchor in the landscape.

While Mike Hansel’s early works were likely to appear in museums and galleries, today his large-scale outdoor metal sculptures increasingly populate public—and decidedly accessible—sites. “People will say, ‘Wow! What’s that made of?’ or ‘How’d you get that to bend that way?’ and come up to touch them,” says the Rhode Island-based artist. “I like to listen, anonymously, to the comments people make. It’s a great way to hear honest appraisals of the work."