A 16-foot sculpture created by Westlake native Harold Balazs will be dedicated here at Hilliard and Dover Center roads Saturday at 1 p.m. (Photo by Kevin Kelley)

Balazs sculpture to be unveiled Saturday
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
Published July 6, 2005

A 16-foot outdoor sculpture created by noted artist and Westlake native Harold Balazs will be formally dedicated in a public ceremony Saturday at 1 p.m. The dedication will be at the southwest corner of Hilliard and Dover Center roads.

Balazs, whose mother's family was one of the first to settle in the area, told West Life in 2003 that he was thrilled about the location for his work because he grew up close to that spot.

"I have a lot of fond memories of Dover and Hilliard," said Balazs, who will be on hand for the ceremony.

The $30,000 cost of the sculpture was paid for by the Westlake Westshore Arts Council (WWAC), which wanted more public art in the Westshore area.

"This has been in the works two-and-a-half years," said Roger Cooley, a member of WWAC and second cousin of Balazs.

Born in Westlake in 1928, Balazs graduated from Dover High School. He received a bachelor of fine arts degree from Washington State University in 1951. He and his wife, Rosemary, today live in Mead, Wash.

A few years ago, Balazs was named a "living treasure" of Washington state. A 20-minute documentary was made of Balazs for that occasion, which Cooley showed to the WWAC. After viewing it, the arts council decided to commission Balazs to create a public sculpture.

The sculpture, made of brushed stainless steel, is being specially shipped in two pieces by truck from Washington, said Lollie Cooley, wife of Roger and the incoming co-president of the WWAC. A crane will hoist it onto its concrete base Thursday morning.

After the dedication ceremony, at which Balazs will give a short talk on the importance of public art, a reception will be held at City Hall.

Roger Cooley believes his cousin's sculpture will fulfill the WWAC's goal of promoting public art.

"It will be very visible," he said of the sculpture. "It will be very dramatic. And people will know there's some public art in town."