Edit: Rain On Art Umbrella

Another day, another art controversy. Oh joy. The latest if not greatest displays of artistic ingenuity — some might call them by another name — have blossomed in the middle of a roundabout on Kathleen Avenue and Fourth Street, just south of Coeur d’Alene High School, and sometime next year, at the Third Street entrance to McEuen Park. Kathleen/Fourth Street: Dubbed “Umbrellas Gracilis,” the creation by artists from Vancouver, Wash., is actually a play on words. Type “umbrellas gracilis” into an Internet search engine, and you’ll see photos of a plant with descriptions of dwarf umbrella palms. Well, the artwork looks like a plant topped by three colorful umbrellas. Third Street: This piece will stand 25 feet tall and again, there’s some fun with the name. It’s called “Allium Spring Chorus,” but spellcheck on Press computers automatically changes it to “Alien String Chorus” — a moniker some gawkers will probably find more accurate. Creative? Most can probably agree on that. Best use of public dollars? Most people can probably agree to disagree on that/ Coeur d’Alene Press Editorial Board . More here.

Question: I sincerely hope that the Coeur d’Alene Arts Commission isn’t intimidated by the whining from some quarters about its public art selections. I’d rather see them continue to be creative and take risks than hearken to some sort of formula in an attempt to please those who are rarely pleased in this community. Thoughts?