Crystal City Metro Gateway to Receive Colorful Upgrade

January, 11, 2008 - Crystal City (Arlington, VA) – The walk to the Metro from neighborhoods west of Crystal City will become a whole lot more colorful come springtime. The Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID), with support from Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division, has procured the talents of local mosaic artist, Valerie Theberge, to design and install a dazzling new mural at the Route 1 Overpass at 18^th Street site, a major gateway into and out of the community.

 

“We are thrilled to partner with Arlington County Cultural Affairs to bring Valerie’s color and talent to Crystal City,” said Angela Fox, President and CEO of the Crystal City Business Improvement District. “The 18^th Street underpass, a key point of entry into Crystal City, is utilized daily by thousands of Metro riders, cyclists, and vehicles. This vibrant and sparkling mural will welcome our many workers, residents, and visitors in a way that is reflective of the Crystal City experience that we are driven to create.”

 

The mural installation further expands the focus of arts in Crystal City – an effort initiated last April with the success of Artomatic, which attracted more than 32,000 visitors, and the more recent launch of Arena Stage in Crystal City.

 

The mural, consisting of eleven large-scale mosaic pieces, will splash the length and height of the 160-foot-by-20-foot. Over the next four months, Theberge will create and construct the various abstract shapes and objects using colorful tiles and mirrors at her studio in Mount Rainier, MD. Keep track of the mural progress by visiting the artist’s blog at http://crystalcitymetromosaic.blogspot.com/. 

 

“I am excited to be a part of this project. The concrete “canvas” is perfect for a mosaic because colorful pieces will have a powerful transformative effect,” Ms. Theberge said. “The Crystal City Metro mosaic pieces are meant to be uplifting and whimsical and are exactly the type of job that I love doing because it can impact the 20-30,000 people that use that metro stop as well as the surrounding businesses, hotels, and apartments.”

 

Ms. Theberge’s nine-year career began while studying the ancient art of mosaics in Hong Kong. Her work can be found throughout the world including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, India, Pakistan as well as locally in the Washington metropolitan region. The Washington Post recently highlighted Ms. Theberge for turning her artistic passion into a successful career and livelihood in the newspaper’s Making It series.

 

Established in April of 2006, the Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID) is creating a soul for Crystal City. A public-private partnership, the BID is providing a higher level of service to visitors, workers and residents in Crystal City – driving to become world-class destination in both Arlington and the greater DC region. For more information, visit www.crystalcity.org.