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Last Love, but more to come

Squamish artist's sculpture Valley Trail art winner

Squamish artist Patrick Sullivan’s black marble sculpture entitled Last Love was chosen as this year’s installation in the Whistler Public Art Committee’s 2006 Valley Trail art competition.

"It will certainly be noticed because of its height," said Kevin McFarland, Whistler parks planner, of the six-foot-high artwork. "It’s an interesting piece, one I think people will stop along the Valley Trail and have an art discussion over. It’s fully developed on all sides. Some sides remind me of Picasso."

The abstract sculpture is made up of a male and female shape interlocking in a Celtic design. Sullivan describes Last Love’s theme as "A story inspired by the path of life."

Set to be placed on the Valley Trail at the approach to Alpha Lake Park, the current train station arrival point, the romance historically associated with lovers waving hello and goodbye from the train station is part of the sculpture’s theme.

Last Love is one of three Valley Trail art projects commissioned over the past two years. In 2004, Whistler council allocated funds to introduce public art projects outside of the village core.

Last year, two projects were commissioned: Penny Martyn’s Cycling Salmon at the Lorimer Road and River of Golden Dreams cross section as well as Laurence Knowles’s sculpture series of Grandfather, Medicine Man and Creek Woman along the Valley Trail by Meadow Park.

Public involvement is a component of all the projects, bringing artists and community closer together.

Sullivan will carve his B.C. marble on site sometime later this month, allowing the public to interact with the artist and witness how the art piece unfolds.

Last year, the projects were funded with $25,000 from the Village Enhancement Fund. This year, $20,000 was approved for Sullivan’s artwork from general funds.

The Public Art Committee also has other public art projects on the go, including Celestri, funded by the Four Seasons Resort and Intrawest. The artwork, recently completed this month, draws on two historical artifacts used to measure time and the seasons: an equatorial sundial and the planisphere.

The committee is also looking into commissioning new banners for display on the outer wall of MY Millennium Place facing the Village Stroll, as well as a new summer banner series, which will be displayed throughout Whistler Village.

"We try to have a diverse range of projects," McFarland said.