Mr. Eggwards is a sculpture by artist Kimber Fiebiger, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was created as a "tribute to the older generation; those who in the 1930s and '40s dressed up to conduct business or attend a performance."

The impact of public art is crawling into the local consciousness, perhaps more quickly this year with Arts R Alive’s newest selections in West Twin Park in Webster City and its collaboration with the City of Webster City and its new City Manager John Harrenstein.

Harrenstein will be the key speaker Thursday at Arts R Alive’s 14th annual Art in the Park sculpture event at West Twin.

This free event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It will include light refreshments. Back this year is Jive for Five, the popular brass quintet from the area that has long provided the soundtrack for this event. Bring a lawn chair to relax and enjoy the surroundings.

For his part, Harrenstein is a firm believer in public art.

“The presence of public art in a community distinguishes it from other places,” he said. “Public art signals to the resident and the visitor alike the place they are in values beauty and reflection.”

In the spring, when he was still an interim city manager, he worked with Arts R Alive at West Twin to select new sculpture sites to more fully use the peaceful park at Bank and Superior streets.

“Public art is vital to any community in terms of enrichment, quality of life,” he said then. “I think it provides an opportunity for not only existing residents to enjoy our fellow spaces, but also for visitors to come and enjoy our parks and green spaces where these sculptures are going to be placed. So, just really thrilled to be partnering with the group this year.”

He added, “I think when we were talking with the committee, we felt that using the full park for the sculpture tour would enrich the experience of the individual sculptures, rather than having them in one section of the park. So, we’re excited to see if the public shares that view.”

“Arts R Alive looks forward to greeting folks on Thursday evening,” Janet Adams, president of Arts R Alive, said. “We are excited that City Manager John Harrenstein will be our speaker. He is going to give his impressions of the sculptures and relate his experience with public art in other communities.”

The sculptures featured in the park are all for sale, Adams said. Arts R Alive receives a small percentage of each sale.

Arts R Alive’s membership in the art consortium Sculpture One has impacted the breadth of selection from which to choose, Adams has said in the past.

“We have long seen a membership with Sculpture One as a positive goal,” she said.

Arts R Alive is in its second year of membership, she added.

“Through it, the quality of the art we are able to bring to Webster City has become more impressive.”

The eight sculptures will remain in the park until the spring of 2025, when a new rotation of sculptures will be placed.