City's artwork goes round and round

SANDPOINT — Drivers taking a spin around the roundabout on Larch and Boyer will now get a daily dose of cultural appreciation with the installation of new artwork.

Public works employees set up a series of metallic figures portraying Northwest-appropriate images including skiers and ospreys in the center of the roundabout last Tuesday afternoon. Workers removed the artwork from their former positions along downtown streets like Cedar and First, where trees obscured many pieces from the public eye.

“When the roundabout was designed, the city decided that it wanted to showcase some kind of artwork there,” associate planner Joan Bramblee said. “Some of the pieces were neglected and starting to chip, and we thought that they’d be a good fit for the roundabout.”

Local artist Tammy Farmin originally created the 22 12-gauge steel designs in 1996 for development group Sandpoint Unlimited, a precursor to today’s Downtown Sandpoint Business Association. When Sandpoint Unlimited dissolved, the city took over management of the artwork.

The Sandpoint Arts Commission decided that their current downtown placement wasn’t the ideal placement for the pieces.

“Some of the businesses along the artwork’s previous locations weren’t happy to see them go,” Sandpoint Arts Commission chair Carol Deaner said. “But we’ve had others call up and tell us how great they look on the roundabout.”

Now a handful of the art pieces have a second lease on life decorating the roundabout.

“We still have a lot of other pieces that we’re trying to place,” Deaner said.

But the project involved more than simply relocating the 25-pound pieces. Public works employees installed several supports in the roundabout center to house the newly-framed designs. They also installed lights to illuminate the art at night and flowers to fill out the arrangements.  Local architect Krister Allen designed the frames for the artwork and Priest River local Betty Gardner created them. Gardner and her husband also assisted the public works members in the installation. The Sandpoint Urban Renewel Committee funded the majority of the operation along with contributions from Milltown Park Agency, All Seasons Nursery and private donations.

“The Sandpoint Urban Renewel Agency receives funds to use toward local art,” Bramblee said. “We approached them with the project, and they were great partners throughout the whole process.”

Aside from a couple of disappointed downtown businesses who enjoyed the former placements of the artwork not obscured by trees, Deaner says the public response has been very positive.

“Everyone just loves it,” she said. “I’ve received several calls at my house from people telling me how great the art looks — especially at night when they’re all lit up.”