A gift of public art to the City of Lake Forest Park

Rodger Squirrell at the installation of Five by Five

photograph by Lee Youngblood

The Lake Forest Park Garden Tour and Plant Sale, a collaborative community event, has raised money over the past nine years in order to support local organizations and to make a contribution of public art for the City of Lake Forest Park.

The new art installation went in at the corner of Ballinger and Bothell Way as part of the 50th anniversary of the City. Five by Five is by Lake Forest Park artist Rodger Squirrell. 

This elegant stainless steel piece is a grove of five structures of varying heights, each with five wave-like sides. Wind and light will pass through the installation creating an ever-changing reflection for people to enjoy.

The artwork was paid for by a donation from the Garden Tour. After each of the last nine garden tours, half of the proceeds were put aside in order to make this contribution to the City of a significant piece of public art. In addition to ticket sales and the garden market, the tours has been generously sponsored by many local businesses, including Madison Marquette and the merchants in the Town Center.

In partnership with the City, a public process was used to select the artist. The four sponsoring organizations, The Friends of Third Place Commons, the Lake Forest Park Garden Club, The Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation and the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council, reviewed the proposals, as did the City’s Community Services Commission. 

When Squirrell made a presentation to the City Council in May members of the audience spontaneously applauded his presentation of the artwork.

Meet the artist at the dedication of the artwork on Sunday, September 25 at 1:00 pm, at the corner of Ballinger and Bothell Way.

Save the date for the 10th Annual Secret Gardens of Lake Forest Park Garden Tour, June 15, 2012.