Park art goes to council

Art recommended for installation at Heisler Park is scheduled to be presented to the City Council at Tuesday’s meeting.

The Arts Commission will recommend work by local artists Scott and Naomi Schoenherr for installation in the park. The Schoenherrs were among the four finalists in the competition asked to present macquettes — models of larger works — to the commission at the Feb. 4 meeting.

“All of the presentations were amazing,” Commissioner Pat Kollenda said. “They were well done and visionary and they had to reference a poem that was provided to them.”

Donald Gialanella, David Ruth and Peter Shire were the other finalists, selected from 42 entries.

The Schoenherrs, whose work previously was chosen for the façade of the public restrooms in the parking lot between Ocean Avenue and Forest Lane, were the only locals among the finalists, but that was not a factor in their selection, Kollenda said.

All four macquettes are expected to be displayed at the council meeting. The works were previewed by Mayor Toni Iseman, Mayor Pro Tem Jane Egly and Councilwoman Verna Rollinger, who attended the presentations at the commission meeting.

The installation will fulfill the Art in Public Places provision in the city’s code that requires art or an in-lieu payment for non-residential projects valued at $225,000 or more.