A free public reception, taking place Sunday, June 4, kicks off the 2006 Lake County Sculpture Walk at Middletown County Trailside Park. “We have 35 exhibits this year,” said organizer Karen Turcotte. Middletown County Trailside Park is located on Dry Creek Cutoff off of State Route 175. For the fourth year in a row, sculptures will be set up along the county park”s Center Trail, with self-guide tour books highlighting the work of participating artists. Exhibits remain in place through October 2006; free docent tours are available. The 2006 exhibit kicks off with a free public reception, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 4. Booths along the trail will feature live music, refreshments and an opportunity to meet some of the artists. EcoArts of Lake County is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting visual art, art education and ecological stewardship to the public and educational institutions in Lake County. In addition to local, Bay Area, national and international artists, the installation includes exhibits by local youth through W.C. Carl? Continuation High School, Girl Scout Troop No. 427 from Clearlake, Riviera Kid Connection and Lake County International Charter School. Turcotte advised that the walk takes about 90 minutes to complete. “One of the greatest things about the sculpture walk is that you are participating in the very old debate of what is art,”” she added. “You become part of a world dialogue spanning centuries. Even if there is a piece you don”t like, you are engaged in the consideration, the hows and whys of what affects you.” A grant from AT&T (formerly the SBC Excelerator Grant) is offering artists an online gallery at a site that goes live in June. Turcotte said the new Web site will include a “cyberwalk” of this year”s exhibit as well as archives of earlier walks. For more information about EcoArts, call 928-0323 or visit www.EcoArtsofLakeCounty.org. Tax-deductible donations in support of EcoArts of Lake County can be sent to PO Box 8, Cobb, CA 95426. Contact Cynthia Parkhill at cparkhill@clearlakeobserver.com.
