THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
❘
/ SIUSLAWNEWS
❘
@ SIUSLAWNEWS
WEDNESDAY EDITION
Siuslaw News
❘ MAY 10, 2017 ❘
SECTION B
SENIOR NEWS
CALENDAR
Coast Life
INSIDE — 8B
A fresh look for Old Town
Florence Public Art Committee unveils first outdoor art installation with help from Siuslaw art students
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
Siuslaw News
T
he old saying, “One
man’s trash, is another
man’s treasure,” has taken on
a new meaning with the place-
ment of the first public art
exhibit approved and coordi-
nated by the City of Florence
and its Public Arts Committee
(PAC).
PAC and students from
Siuslaw Middle School have
created and placed the initial
project, a refurbishment of trash
receptacles in Old Town.
The first official project
approved by the committee and
ready for placement may not be
the pinnacle of artistic achieve-
ment, but it is significant as a
starting point for what is to
come.
The first art installation was
placed on Bay Street Monday
morning and consists of 15
brightly colored trash recepta-
cles with individually painted
scenes or themes on the covers.
Florence
Public
Works
Director Mike Miller was on
hand for the delivery of the fin-
ished works of art.
Miller has been working with
the PAC since its inception.
“It’s a partnership, and as the
art committee grows and they
get new pieces of art, the city
will be there to help do the
installations, like the foundation
work and the concrete bases,
those types of things,” Miller
said. “We will help out with the
actual mounting of the different
art pieces. It’s very much a col-
laboration between the city,
Florence Urban Renewal
Agency and the Public Art
Committee.”
The receptacle lids were
designed and painted by 20 stu-
dents who participated in the
project Saturday at Siuslaw
Middle School.
PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
Members of the Florence Public Art Committee coordinated with Siuslaw students to paint Old
Town’s trash receptacles. The public art project is now on display on Bay Street and in the rest
of Old Town.
PAC members, along with
middle school teacher Kelly
Dotson and high school teacher
Kim Pickell, were present to
assist and encourage the student
artists.
PAC member Jennifer French
believes the students were
pleased with the opportunity to
contribute to the effort.
“The kids kept thanking us
for letting them do this project.
They love art and creative proj-
ects, but sadly, don’t get much
art in their schools due to lack
of funding,” French said. “Most
of these students were very pas-
sionate about their art. Being
able to express themselves
through their art and to cheer up
Bay Street, all at the same time,
was great.”
Miller said that an additional
benefit of the project was a
visual upgrade to the area.
“The trash receptacles are at
the end of their useful life. But
having a nice fresh paint job and
having the children do the actu-
al art work is a very nice testa-
ment to both the art committee
and the beautification of Old
Town,” Miller said.
French echoed Miller’s com-
Siuslaw students spent sever-
al hours over May 5 to 9 prep-
ping and painting the trash
receptacle lids.
ments in regard to the spring-
like nature of the project.
“We let the teachers know we
wanted our receptacles to be
fun, colorful, clever, bright,
bold and done with much fun.
Both teachers found art students
who were thrilled to arrive early
on a Saturday morning, and
paint trash can lids for several
hours,” French said. “We’re in
the process now of ordering
plaques for each trash can and
the names of each student will
be attached to their specific art
piece. The students are very
proud of this whole project and
were very happy to be able to
take part.”
PAC has additional projects in
its pipeline. These will offer
local residents some new and
unusual art to enjoy.
“I know the committee is
working on several different
projects,” said Miller. “There
are a couple of art pieces that
have been donated to the city.
One is a totem pole and the PAC
is deciding where that is going
to go. And there are also some
murals on the exterior wall of
the PUD warehouse.”
French said she is excited by
the upcoming adventures in art
the city will have the opportuni-
ty to experience.
“We have plans to install cre-
ative and ‘wow-type’ murals,
sculptures, donated art pieces
and much more. We even have
plans to do a rotating outdoor-
type gallery, called Exposed
Art, throughout Old Town,” she
said. “Now, we are at that point
where we can finally start hav-
ing more fun sharing public art
with our Florence community
and all those who visit our love-
ly town.”
For more information about
Florence Public Art committee
and its projects, contact
Florence City Recorder Kelli
Weese at 541-997-3437.
‘Big Wave’ of poetry rolls into Florence
Florence Regional Arts Alliance brings back Spoken Word Poetry Contest May 12 and 13
he second annual Big Wave
Poetry Festival, sponsored by
Florence Regional Arts Center
(FRAA), takes place May 12 and 13
at the Florence Events Center, 715
Quince St .
Friday evening, starting at 6 p.m.,
is the Spoken Word Poetry Contest,
when 30 poets from around the state
will perform their 3-minute original
poems while competing for the
largest cash prizes in the state for
poetry.
First prize is $500 and second place
receives $250. In addition, There are
four category prizes of $100 each for
“best humor,” “nature,” “personal
reflections” and “social commen-
tary.”
Judging for the contest is done by
five random audience members, scor-
ing each participant from 0 to 10. The
top and bottom scores are thrown out
and the three middle scores are
added together for the poet’s final
score.
T
Audience members are encouraged
to snap their fingers during parts of
the poems they like, and to voice
opinions about the judges’ scores by
booing or cheering.
As FRAA committee co-chair
Karen Brown explained, “This ain’t
your grandma’s poetry. Even people
who profess not to like poetry will
love this competition with 3-minute
performances that will move you to
tears one moment and laughter the
next.”
The event starts at 6 p.m., but from
5 to 6 p.m. is a “meet and greet” with
the poets.
Admission is $10 and tickets can be
purchased at the door.
At 3 p.m. on Saturday is the Teen
Spoken Word Poetry Contest for
middle and high school students.
Poems must be original and limited
to 3 minutes.
Cash prizes of $100, $50 and $25
will be given to first, second and third
place winners.
Admission is free.
Teens who wish to participate can
sign up at www.fraaoregon.org under
“Poetry Fest,” or go to the FRAA Art
Center, 120 Maple St., and sign up in
person.
Saturday evening, starting at 6:30
p.m., will be the premier showing of
a documentary called “From Prison
to Purpose,” the story of Noah
Schultz, former resident of Camp
Florence.
This is the story of Schultz’s life,
from drug dealer and gang member,
to college grad, social activist, TedX
speaker and award-winning poet.
The film shows how and why
Schultz got involved in the life of
crime, starting at age 12, what hap-
pened to cause him to be sentences to
90 months of incarceration, and how
he transformed his life while in
prison.
Schultz will be at the screening,
along with Stephen Fowler, last
year’s Big Wave Poetry Contest win-
ner and another graduate of Camp
Florence who transformed his life
while incarcerated.
Schultz and Fowler will talk about
their personal journeys and perform
spoken word poetry.
“These two young men are so
inspiring,” says Big Wave Poetry Fest
co-chair, Judy Plumery. “They each
spent from ages 17 to 24 years in
juvenile detention facilities, but were
able to use that time to change who
they were and now they help other
young people who are going down the
wrong path.”
Admission is $10.
For more information about the
Big Wave Poetry Fest events, visit
www.fraaoregon.org and click on
“Poetry Fest.”
Tickets can be purchased at the
door of the events center or at the
FRAA Art Center.
Big Wave Poetry Fest T-shirts are
available for purchase at the FRAA
Art Center and at each of the events.