When you are on the Capitol Square this summer or fall, stop by "Light Up the Night" on the corners of Mifflin, Hamilton and Pickney Streets, adjacent the Madison Children's Museum (MCM). The sculpture was designed and fabricated as a collaborative project by local artists Cheryl DeWelt and Erika Koivunen.

"Light Up the Night" is a whimsical tower welded out of 3/8" rod and covered in acrylic tiles artfully and individually designed with hand-dyed silk by community members and visitors of all ages, backgrounds and abilities during MCM's free Twilight Art Nights. The sculpture inspires playfulness and is accessible for viewing inside and out through a variety of different sized doorways. The piece reflects and transmits all the colors of the rainbow and can be viewed during the day as the sun passes through it or as a beacon in the night when it is lit by LED lights.

"Light up the Night" honors children and adult's aesthetic awareness with the intertwining of a variety of colors and shapes. It invites passersby to look closely, ask questions, take on new perspectives and be engaged in inquiry and joyful amusement. The sculpture conveys the transformative power of light and the effect that light and color have on the spirit.

The artist's goals with "Light Up the Night" was to provide opportunities for community members and underserved audiences to collaboratively create art pieces for an interactive public artwork that would be on display in the community and accessible to all. Erika Koivunen and Cheryl DeWelt hoped they could bring together their innovative designs and years of experience with metal and textiles to foster community engagement and appreciation of the arts while building a greater sense of belonging in the community.

Next BLINK application deadline is October 1, 2012.

For more information about the Madison Arts Commission's BLINK! program, please visit our website at: www.cityofmadison.com/MAC/grants/Blink.cfm or contact Karin Wolf, Arts Program Administrator at: kwolf@cityofmadison.com