Our View: Support your local artists

The residents of Sweetwater County have had a long history of supporting the arts.

Sweetwater County School District No. 1 is well known for its art collection on display at the Community Fine Arts Center in Rock Springs, which includes paintings from artists including Norman Rockwell and Grandma Moses.

In Green River, a lively collection of sculptures have popped up across the city in the last several years. The city’s new Mining Memorial Park, though dedicated to the machinery the hard working men and women of Sweetwater County have used to earn a living, showcases a unique artistic element in and of themselves.

Which brings us to the statue the Green River Arts Council wants to place in the park, titled “Shift Change.” The statue depicting and older miner leading a younger miner, will be an excellent addition to the park as it perfectly intersects artistic achievement and honoring the mining industry.

For that reason alone, we believe the residents of Green River should support its placement.

The statue still needs funding. While we applaud the efforts the arts council done to solicit funding from governmental and private sources, every resident of the city should donate to the cause. From $1 to $100, every little bit donated will help place one of the most important art pieces the city will receive in a place where all can enjoy it. This is project that should involve everyone in town. A friendly competition amongst the schools within Sweetwater County School District No. 2 could net thousands in donations. The same could be said about the workers in the local mines. A friendly donation drive amongst the people the statue honors would probably pay for its placement.

“Shift Change” is a worthwhile sculpture that should generate a large amount of interest from both visitors and residents alike. It would be great to see everyone pitch in and donate towards its placement.