Fall 2006 - City of Coral Springs

Selected artists to begin work on new public projects
With the City Commission’s approval of three new public
art proposals, artists will begin chiseling and bring their ideas
to fruition starting in the fall.
The team of Tom Askman and Lea Anne Lake of Spokane,
Washington have been selected to create a new seating area
at the Coral Springs Gymnasium. Their goal in developing
the seating area (rendering shown at right) was to create
something both functional, yet innovative and make visitors
want to spend a little more time at the Gym.
“Artists who work in the public arena tend to want to
create something that they will walk up to it, interact with it
and feel that they are in a special place,” said artist
Tom Askman.
Askman is one of the original groups of artists in the
northwest United States that integrated their artwork
with the architecture or streetscape to cause more public
interaction.
Another piece in the works is by MariaLuisa Tadei of Rimini,
Italy. She was selected to design and fabricate a unique
sculpture to welcome residents and visitors traveling north
on University Drive. The 15-foot-tall fiberglass sculpture
covered in glass mosaic tiles will be installed on the northeast
corner of University and Riverside Drive.
“Mosaic is very contemporary because it is like a television
pixel, but at the same time it’s based in the past,” said artist
Tickets will be available beginning in early
December for the City’s 17th Annual Martin Luther
King, Jr. Celebration, which will feature L. Douglas
Wilder, the first African-American Governor in U.S.
history.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “The
Legend Lives…for All”. This year’s festivities include
a student address, business luncheon, community
celebration, and V.I.P. reception.
Wilder will serve as keynote speaker for the
January 12 activities, which begin with an address
to over 1,200 middle and high school students
at 9:30AM at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts.
Following the student address, Wilder will speak at a noon
luncheon at the Coral Springs Marriott at Heron Bay, 11775
Heron Bay Boulevard. Tickets are $40 per person.
At 7PM, a community-wide celebration, featuring a keynote
speech by Wilder as well as inspirational music and dance
performances, will be held at the Coral Springs Center for the
Arts. The celebration will be followed by a 9PM VIP Reception.
Tickets for the Community Celebration are $5 for adults and
$1 for children, 17 and under. The VIP Reception tickets are
$20 each.
Tickets for the Community Celebration will be on sale at
MariaLuisa Tadei, “I like working with mosaics because it helps
me build bridges between the past and present, towards the
future.”
New York-based artist Kevin Barrett’s sculpture titled Union
One will also be permanently installed on the corner of 101 st
Avenue and Sample Road near Wendy’s.
Barrett said the turquoise sculpture represents a person he
fell in love with in 1986. He enjoys doing public art because
he says the public doesn’t always want to walk into a gallery.
Be on the lookout for these projects, as construction is
expected to be completed within a year. The City hopes
that residents and visitors alike will be inspired by these new
pieces of public art. For more details, visit coralsprings.org/
publicart.
MLK Celebration to feature former U.S. Governor Wilder
L. Douglas Wilder
Keynote Speaker
the Center for the Arts Box Office, and luncheon
and VIP Reception tickets will be available at City
Hall in the Mall and City Hall at 9551 West Sample
Road.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration continues
with an educational and inspirational Student
Workshop. It will be held at the Center for the Arts
on Monday, January 15 from 9AM to 2PM.
Students of all levels are encouraged to
participate in the Art & Literary Exhibit Contest
highlighting the theme and the life and works of
Dr. King. These entries will be judged, and winners
will be invited on stage to receive their prizes.
Students are encouraged to talk to their art and English
teachers to find out how they can enter the Art and Literary
Contest. All work must be related to this year’s theme, “The
Legend Lives…for All”. Entries will be on display at the Center
for the Arts for a couple of weeks in January.
Sponsors are still being sought for the celebration, as well
as for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship, which benefits
needy high school seniors who wish to pursue higher
education.
For more information, call 954-344-1005 or visit
coralsprings.org/mlk.
Watch CityTV Channel 25 Fall 2006 • Coral Springs • 13
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