Those visiting last weekend’s Festival in the Park activities in Elmwood Park were greeted by the latest installment of “A.I.R. Art in Roanoke”, a collection of ten elaborate sculptures placed along the path beside the Roanoke City Main Library adjacent to the recently renovated Elmwood Park Amphitheater.
Festival goers were encouraged to cast their vote for their favorite of the ten, with a $1,000 prize going to the winner.The sculpture artists, including Jacob Smith and Dan Kuehl of Roanoke, came from as far away as New York City, Florida and Arizona.
The exhibit will remain on display for eighteen months, though any of the ten that prove to be exceptional favorites among the city’s residents will likely be purchased for the permanent collection of the Roanoke Arts Commission.
Artists submitted their work in conjunction with the exhibit’s theme, “The Natural City”, using mediums that included wood, trees, metal, fabricated foam and holographic materials. Visitors to Festival in the Park could cast paper ballots, while others can vote online at www.artinroanoke.org.
Bill Turner
