(Right) Artist Verena Schwippert and AAC member Laura Kuhl enjoy Schwippert's "Waterline" sculpture, now installed in Lebanon Park in downtown Arlington.

 

It's a tradition of the Arlington Arts Council to hold a special reception honoring the new public art works acquired during the year past.

This year, the ninth annual Celebration of the Arts in Arlington is part of Art in the Park, in Legion Park, starting at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10.

The program includes recognition for the creator of Waterline, Verena Schwippert, who will speak on the value of public art in communities, and Bill Matheson, whose bronze eagle sculpture will soon be perched at the top of City Hall. The AAC will honor all the artists and friends who have contributed to the organization's efforts to bring art to Arlington this year, such as Debbie and Dave Tremko, donors of an eagle totem that is in the roundabout at West Avenue and Division Street.

Recognitions will include those who helped create the first entryway sign that was installed at Island Crossing in January this year. After some concepts were presented at the 2009 Fall into Art Auction, AAC board member, and creator of the fish at City Hall, Marguerite Goff, designed the sign, with help from Lance Carleton who fabricated the letters of steel. Workers at Cuz Concrete also contributed to making the long-dreamed-of sign, marking the traditional entrance to town.

The AAC will also celebrate the artists who created the reprinted banners especially for Edgecomb, at the intersection of 172nd Street and 67th Avenue (Rocky Barrick, Carole and Beau Bossarte, Helen Lueken, Sarah Higgins, Torey Baines, Sarah Lopez, and Laura Dugger), and those who have been painting another set of originals this year: Debby Tucker, Christina Harvey, Shirley Harwell, Marilyn Oertle, Laura Kuhl, Jean Olson, Sarah Arney, Sarah Lopez, Ellen Freund, Harry Engstrom, and others.

Arrive early to enjoy Native American flute music by Paul Nyenhuis, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the creativity of nearly 40 artists displaying their work from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Legion Park.

Refreshments will be provided during the reception, along with many raffle prizes donated by participating artists, including painters Helen Lueken, Carey Sorenson, Gary Govett, Kathy Critchfield, Shirley Harwell, Kristina Hebert, Monica Yantis, Alexandru Pricob, John McAlpine, Gene Cross, Sharon Johnson, Sheri and Gene Waggoner, Amber Ambler, Sherry Shipley, Larry Kantzer; Photographers Kent Baker, Roberta Baker, Robert Walters, Sara Sheffield, Mike Kinney, Sarah Arney, Phil Lane; Fine crafts include felted hats by Erika Bruss and Kristina Hebert, woodwork by Lucinda Van Valkenburg, Stuart Fountain, Larry & Ginger Williams, fiber art by Judy Sauer, Arlys Pederson, glass work by Bev Schatz, muffler art by Mike Nordine, gourd art by Frances Howland, jewelry by Gene Cross, Karin and J.C. Martin, glass by Lee Beitz, chainsaw carvings by Debbie and Dave Tremko and more.