'Sculptures' a win-win situation for city, artists

Artists laud public exhibit at opening tour Saturday

MOSES LAKE — Rarely has public opinion on art been this uncontroversial.

Several dozen people gathered at the Moses Lake Museum and Arts Center Saturday evening to witness the launch of Sculptures Without Walls, and the installation of 14 pieces of art in downtown Moses Lake. Excitement about the program was palpable.

"I think it's a win-win situation for the city and the artist," said Chon Love of Billings, Mont. Love's piece, Blue Lake Mosaic, stands near two others in Sinkiuse Square. It beautifies the city, she said, and it gives the artists a venue and an audience for their work.

Cordelia Bradburn, a Leavenworth artist whose two pieces stand on Third Avenue, highlighted importance of the public venue for the artist.

"If it costs $500 to cast (an artwork), (the gallery) wants $500 and you want to make something from it, so now it costs $2,000," she said. "That makes it difficult to make ends meet."

For Bradburn, the benefit of being in the show is automatic.

"For me, it's rewarding if they buy it or not because it's been enjoyed," she said.

In spite of some vandalism that has happened within the city this summer, the artists seemed comfortable about the safety of their works.

"They seemed to want to do the best they could to protect the piece," said Lacey artist Teresa Rowland, whose work stands on the same street as the recently vandalized Japanese Garden.

MAC Director Terry Mulkey deemed the project mission accomplished.

"We wanted to bring good art to Moses Lake. We wanted to encourage dialogue about works of art and increase awareness. We have done that," he said.

Project chair Carolann Swartz said steps have already been taken to make Sculptures Without Walls an annual event.

"There was just so much interest and input in the idea," she said. "We are already going to send out calls to artists for next year. So I guess this is to be continued."