Richard Beaulieu

ARTIST BRINGS WORK TO BOYNTON

Artists bring work to Boynton

By Carol Lewis
Special Correspondent

BOYNTON BEACH • Local artists are making more headway than the city in offering art in public places.

A group of artists has successfully turned one of the city's industrial streets formerly known only for its car repair shops, into the Boynton Beach Neighborhood Art District. But city officials haven't acted on recommendations from a committee formed to oversee the project.

"The idea was to create an area where people could go see art in public, sort of like a museum, and to give artists a place to exhibit without red tape," said sculptor Richard Beau Lieu, who directs the district, as well as the Boynton Beach Neighborhood Art Gallery there. "It's an industrial park, but it has become known as an art area because of the number of artists coming in and out."

City commissioners have taken steps to establish a more formal program and to get ideas about ordinances from other cities and presented findings to the City Commission in September 2001. The committee recommended commissioners create an arts commission for advice on art issues, to promote public art and suggest funding guidelines. But officials haven't acted on recommendations submitted by the committee, and the mayor admits it has been a low priority even though interest is high.






SELF-STARTER: Richard Beau Lieu, a sculptor, is director of the Boynton Beach Neighborhood Art District. "It's hard to imagine how it was down here," said Beau Lieu, who moved his studio to the avenue in 1987. "It was nothing more than a bunch of car repair garages." Staff photo/Carline Jean