Finalists for U.S 2/Easy Street Roundabout Artwork Presented to City

There are five finalists for an art feature that'll be located at the center of the planned roundabout at U.S. 2 and Easy Street in North Wenatchee.

An Evaluation Committee was given a presentation of the finalists Tuesday night, which will feature artwork as high as 40 feet in the air.

Artist Miles Pepper says the centerpiece will be large, but shouldn't be a distraction to drivers.

"The drivers never see it," said Peppers. "They see it on their approach. It becomes a landmark for that, but most of the time they get so used to coming into the roundabout, they're looking to the left and concentrating on their path through."

The City Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department gathered the finalists, and will select one of them for the art feature in the $5 million roundabout that'll be built by the state Department of Transportation next year.

Artist CJ Rench says the art feature needs to make a lasting impression.

"One of the challenges of an artist is to come up with something that locals see once, and they find something new in that sculpture every time they drive by," said Rench. "So there’s a little more interest, it's not just something that's been there for years."

A number of finalists for the art feature have moving parts that would rotate with the wind. The artists assured the Evaluation Committee during Tuesday night's presentation that the moving pieces would be secure enough to handle high winds, as well as being hit by a car.

Some of the finalist art features would have nighttime lighting as well.

Artists Thad Brewer and Gregg Schlanger made a joint presentation of their submissions, while artist Miles Pepper presented two of his submissions, which made the cut.

Artist CJ Rench presented his single piece that was one of the finalists.

Various concepts were featured in the finalists, including the history of the area and Native Wenatchee.

The art features were named "Valley of Fruition", "Spexman", "Strength", "Rainmaker" and "Turbulent Waters".

An average of 40,000-50,000 vehicles pass through the intersection of U.S 2 and Easy Street daily.