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Linden Elementary gets first new school mobile

Staff photo by Richard O Jones Cincinnati artist Celene Hawkins checks the translucency of some of the elements of "Cloud Flower, " a sculpture that will be dedicated Thursday at Linden Elementary School in Hamilton.

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By Richard O Jones, Staff Writer 9:14 PM Monday, November 2, 2009

HAMILTON — Linden Elementary will be the first of the district’s new schools to get a sculpture designed especially for the building.

The unveiling and dedication of “Cloud Flowers” by Cincinnati artist Celene Hawkins will take place during the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours function, 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5.

According to Sue Samoviski, who is a past president of the City of Sculpture organization and a member of the Hamilton City Schools’ facilities committee, the project got its start early on in the process of designing the new buildings, four of which opened this school year.

“They asked the City of Sculpture to help coordinate the project,” Samoviski said, “and set a budget of $3,000 to $5,000 for each mobile.”

Hamilton philanthropists Pat and Donna Carruthers had recently made a donation to the City of Sculpture to place art in the schools, she said. The group used that money to fund “Cloud Flowers” and get the project rolling.

Plans have been approved for the three more sculptures for the new buildings, but those projects have not yet received confirmed funding, Samoviski said.

Individuals or groups who wish to make donationsshould direct the money to the Hamilton Community Foundation with “School Mobile Project” written in the memo line.

“We hope that we’ll have funds for each of the four remaining buildings before those schools are even open,” Samoviski said.

Hawkins said she had become familiar with Hamilton schools and the City of Sculpture when her husband, Jarrett Hawkins, received the commission to create the bronze statues in front of Hamilton High School commemorating the signing of the “No Child Left Behind” Act.

“Cloud Flower” is composed of a collection of flowers cast in a translucent plastic material, painted bright colors and hung from a light metal grid that will be installed in a skylight.

“I was thinking about how kids let their imaginations go wild when looking at clouds,” she said. “I wanted to make something that had the kind of spontaneity that kids have when they make art.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2188 or rjones@coxohio.com.

How to go

WHAT: Hamilton Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours

WHEN: 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5

WHERE: Linden Elementary School, 801 Hoadley Ave., Lindenwald

INFO: (513) 844-1500

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One more thing to "purty up" the school. Yay.

Inside Observer
8:27 AM, 11/3/2009

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Hamilton Schools are not "burning" money on this, and I think art IS important for schools. Visual art stimulates the imagination, and creative thinkers are very much needed in our society.

Even if Hamilton City Schools DID have money to burn (which they don't) it would be unrelated to the City of Hamilton's woes. They are funded completely separately. The city itself does not fund the schools.

I Like the Sculpture
5:51 AM, 11/3/2009

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Reread the story Athletic supporter, the school district isn't putting out money for this...Do I think the schools need this, no. But you need to reread the story.....

pat
11:06 PM, 11/2/2009

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Hamilton city is broke but the schools have money to burn.

Athletic Supporter
9:18 PM, 11/2/2009

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