LAGUNA BEACH : Sculpture Is Up and Running

When its merits were fiercely debated before the City Council 17 months ago, proponents of the new water sculpture in front of City Hall called the artwork playful and whimsical. Detractors said it was too big and modern, altogether wrong for the front of the Spanish-style building.

During the weekend, the bronze fountain made its debut on the corner of Forest Avenue and Loma Terrace while residents continued to grapple with how they feel about having the cantilevered, 12-foot-tall sculpture spouting at such a prominent location.

“I suppose it’s something you get used to,” Deputy City Clerk Rosalie Allen said after examining the $30,000 artwork, “but it’s just so mod.”

Last year’s debate illuminated the fact that many Laguna Beach residents still take their city’s reputation as an art colony very seriously. But now that the sculpture is here, some kinks still need to be ironed out.

For example, water from the fountain has been overflowing and streaming down the street across from the Laguna Beach County Water Department, where an overblown happy face smiles or frowns each week, depending upon the volume of water residents are consuming.

“That happy face is going to get real sad real fast,” Allen said.

And once the $30,000 fountain began to gush this weekend, beach-goers brought the discussion down a notch by promptly using it to rinse sandy feet.

Phil Hofmann , the city staff member who has been working on the project, said the overflow problem soon will be corrected and the fountain will be, for the most part, complete.

“It’s just a matter of adjusting the water flow so it flows where it’s supposed to,” he said. “The piece is pretty much done. What you see is what you get at this point.”

The fountain was designed and constructed by Spokane, Wash., artist Tom Askman, who won the right to create the artwork by besting 56 competitors. The project was connected with the renovation of City Hall.

After being constructed in Spokane, the fountain was hauled by trailer to its new home Thursday. The installation went smoothly and ahead of schedule, Hofmann said.

The water was turned on during the weekend, bringing to life the city’s biggest investment in public art.

But with all the washing of feet and splashing of children that has commenced since the fountain’s installation, Deputy Fire Chief Richard Dewberry said warning signs may have to be erected to try to keep people out of the water.

“Like anything new, you’ve got to evaluate it and do what you need to do to make it work,” he said.