Last Monday, June 16 the Frieze of the Arts was disassembled and reinstalled inside our new location at 9908 Main Street.
The frieze is a visual representation depicting all the various aspects of the arts that we admire, enjoy, and participate in and has become a visual representation of the Summerland Community Arts Council itself for the past 13 years.
Fourteen years ago, in May 2000, the newly formed Summerland Potters Guild felt that a depiction of the various aspects of the arts (drawing, painting, sculpting, acting, singing, etc) would be an excellent way of enhancing the front of the new Arts Centre. Two years earlier the Summerland Community Arts Council had moved into what was the former municipal hall.
Work began on the frieze in January 2001 with Wendy Ferlin, master potter and founding member of the Summerland Potters Guild as project manager.
Two potters were assigned to each figure, using Ralph Critchlow’s enlarged drawings as templates.
However, it soon became apparent that the figures required a more sculptural treatment and that the entire piece would have a more cohesive look if the figures were finished by one artist.
Fortunately the Guild had a sculptor in its ranks and Michael Hermesh took on the task of completing the Frieze of the Arts.
The Frieze of the Arts was unveiled on Sept. 1, 2001.
Since then this iconic image has graced the top of Arts Council letterhead, the SCAC website and Facebook page.
Many thanks to all those individuals responsible for creating it, installing it and now removing it and re-installing it in the new Adams Room at the new Arts Centre.
Photos from the installation of the Frieze in 2001 and from it’s removal last Monday can be found on About page of the Art Council’s website and on Facebook.com/SummerlandArts.
The Arts Palette column is written by David Finnis, publicity chair and president of the Summerland Community Arts Council, P.O. Box 1217, 9533 Main St., Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0