By two votes, heron wins People's Choice award

Matthew Weaver/Columbia Basin HeraldJud Turner's People Choice Award-winning "Great Blue Heron" sculpture overlooks the intersection of Third Avenue and Division Street Friday morning.

by Matthew Weaver<br>Herald Senior Staff Writer
| July 22, 2008 9:00 PM

MOSES LAKE - Jud Turner wasn't aware of the local significance of the great blue heron when he submitted a heron sculpture to a Moses Lake program.

"Herons are an animal I find fascinating, partly because they're so gawky-looking, long and have these funny shapes, corners and angles, but they're so graceful at the same time," Turner explained. "I like that they can occupy those two qualities at the same time."

Turner grew up in the Pacific Northwest, so he said he's seen a lot of herons while canoeing or through his birdwatcher parents.

The Eugene, Ore.-based artist was "completely surprised" to drive into town last year to submit his work to the 2007-2008 Sculpture Without Walls program and see a heron on the Moses Lake town's sign.

"It was a really funny coincidence, but it seemed like it was meant to be," Turner said.

Turner's "Great Blue Heron" was awarded the People's Choice Award for the program, put on through the Moses Lake Museum and Arts Center.

As the winner of People's Choice, the heron sculpture becomes part of the City of Moses Lake's permanent arts collection, and will move from its location at the corner of Third Avenue and Division Street.

Center Manager Freya Hart said Turner's sculpture was two votes ahead of the program's other front-runner, Gretchen Daiber's "Miocene Mink."

"It was really close," Hart said.

"I owe two people a huge thank you," Turner exclaimed upon hearing how close the vote was. "A viewer's choice award means so much more than an art jury thing. I want to make art people appreciate on a broad scale. I care much more about that sort of recognition than a jury of knowledgeable art snobs."

Turner has been working with metal sculpture for about 15 years, but said he has been an artist all of his life.

With "Heron," Turner tried to occupy two opposite qualities.

"I made it out of metal and linear materials, but it's a very natural thing," he said. "It's sort of a mix of an industrial, construction type but a natural, beautiful, organic thing. I like my work to play with opposites in that way."

Opposites come into play in another way for Turner.

"There's a funny parallel here," he said. "I had two pieces in this last year. One of them was either vandalized or damaged in about January and had to be sent to me to be repaired. It's a really funny, full spectrum to have one that was vandalized and one that won People's Choice."

Hart said the center is seeking new sponsors for Sculpture Without Walls.

Turner heard about the call for art for the program about a year and a half ago.

"I just thought it was a neat idea to have it outside for a year and downtown," he said. "I like putting art where it's not normally seen, whether it's out in the middle of downtown, as the hood ornament of a vehicle or in places where people aren't expecting to run into art."

Turner plans to submit an entry for the next Sculpture Without Walls program.

The next program opens Aug. 9 in conjunction with the Downtown Street Dance, Hart said, and includes a Sculpture Walk with the participating artists and a reception.

For more information, visit Jud Turner's Web site at www.judturner.com.