Sculpture by Omak artist Ted Moomaw
will be unveiled at WVC on May 20

A bronze sculpture of Wenatchi Chief John Harmelt by Omak artist Ted Moomaw will be unveiled during a ceremony at the Wenatchee Valley College Wenatchee Campus on Wednesday, May 20. The event will begin at 4 p.m. at Wenatchi Hall on Fifth Street.

 The sculpture, along with another that was unveiled on the Omak campus in April, was purchased by the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation and gifted to the college. Moomaw created the sculpture of Harmelt to honor the Wenatchi people and to honor the chief's work on behalf of his tribe.

 Moomaw works for the Omak Language and Cultural Preservation Program and has taught Nselxcin, Okanogan native language, for Wenatchee Valley College.

 "My life has greatly been enhanced by doing my art work," he said. "Through the process, I feel I have gained enlightenment about what makes our own personal art one of our greatest teachers in life. I believe that art is an outward expression of emotion, an artist's way of conveying or portraying that emotion in order to evoke the same within others."

 Moomaw's sculpture "Psixm," which means "Carrying Wood on Her Back," was unveiled during a ceremony at the Omak campus in April. The piece is based on a photograph taken in the Okanogan by Frank Matsura, a well-known, turn-of-the-century photographer.