Art Chowder September | October, Issue 17 | Page 60

Art
In The Valley
PUBLIC ART COLLECTION GROWTH
Publishers note: as a previous Board Member of the Spokane Valley Arts Council, I
am very encouraged to see the growth and activity within the city of Spokane Valley
where I live. These folks are all volunteers and started with only an idea. It has been
due to their enthusiasm, hard work and dedication to creating a beautiful Spokane
Valley that we enjoy the fruits of their efforts. It will be exciting to see the new in-
teractions between the Arts Council and our community in the future. The following
timeline was given to us by board member Liz McIntosh.
The Spokane Valley Arts Council (SVAC) was formed as a not-for-profit corporation
in 2004, with goals of improving the appreciation of art in its many forms and there-
fore elevating the overall art culture in our region.
LIZ McIntosh
SPOKANE VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL
SECRETARY & TREASURER
FOR MORE
INFORMATiON:
Visit the SVAC
Facebook page or
www.spokanevalleyarts.org
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ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE
Annually for the past twelve years, SVAC has hosted the Artist Showcase Art Auction
at CenterPlace.  The art event is a benefit auction whereby the public can interact with
professional artists. Many of the contributing artists attend and several exhibit their
exceptional skills during a live demonstration of a quick-finish piece.
Proceeds from the auction are shared with the artists and SVAC. The funds retained
by SVAC are utilized to commission high quality sculptures and monuments, with the
intent of public display, so our citizens for generations to come can appreciate the art
in our community. To date, five bronzes have been donated to the city of Spokane
Valley.
In 2009, SVAC donated their first bronze, Working the Line, by Jerry McKellar.
Located south of CenterPlace, this mountain man greets all visitors as they approach
Discovery Park. The bronze is described by the artist as a trapper with beaver pelts
and all his accoutrements, such as beaver traps, stretched hides, medicine bag, and
bone-handled knife.