Marysville ready to hang artists’ wreaths throughout city

MARYSVILLE — Painted wooden wreaths are ready to be put up around the city.

The wreaths are part of a community art project organized by the Marysville Arts Coalition. Plywood cutouts manufactured by students at Marysville Arts and Technology High School were sold for $30 at the city’s parks and recreation office and other locations for several weeks.

Those who wanted their 39-inch wreath professionally decorated paid another $30, said Beckye Randall, chairwoman of the Marysville Arts Coalition. The funds from the wreaths will go toward opportunities to promote the arts in the city, Randall added.

About 30 painted plywood wreaths had been turned into the Marysville Parks and Recreation Department by Wednesday afternoon. A total of 65 were sold, and finished wreaths can be turned into the Jennings Park administrative office through Friday.

The parks department plans to install the wreaths beginning Nov. 28 on light poles between Third and State streets and possibly on 88th Street, said Jim Ballew, the city’s parks and recreation director.

“Our hope is to install them on the pedestrian lights where we also install our hanging baskets,” Ballew said. “Several are lighted, and that’s probably the best location for people to see some of the detail.”

The wreaths are all uniquely decorated, Ballew said. Some are three-dimensional. One represents winter scenes from Marysville’s history while another has size 15 hockey skates and a hockey stick hanging from it.

Marysville Historical Society board member Karen Burkhart came up with the idea for the organization’s vintage winter scene wreath.

It features a couple ice skating, kids building a snowman and the Marysville Water Tower decorated for the season among other scenes.

“Because of all the details in the painting (the Parks and Recreation office) said they would probably hang it low,” Burkhart said. “It’s a really neat project.”

The wreath was painted by local artist Janet Myer.

Randall gives credit to the Arlington Arts Council for inspiring the project with their own community art projects that include decorated wooden snowmen.

“They blazed the way for this and we’re tagging along,” Randall said. “I’m excited that we got participation for our first year. I’m hoping next year will go even better.”

When the holidays are over the wreaths will be taken down and put away for next year, Ballew said. The department and Marysville Arts Coalition is considering a similar umbrella art project in the spring, he added.

Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.