After a years of planning, the Town of Miami Lakes is finally set to unveil its new Veterans Memorial located in the facade of the Government Center building where the monument will pay homage to residents who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Residents are invited to attend the free historic event scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 4, at 6601 Main Street.
The town’s Veterans Committee will conduct the ceremony that includes a Presentation of the Colors, reading of a proclamation from Mayor Wayne Slaton and councilmembers, and the unveiling of the commemorative bricks placed on the pathway leading to the memorial.
The Veterans Memorial is a public art project and is a part of the Miami Dade Art in Public Places Program, which requires 1.5 percent of construction costs of all new public facilities to be allocated for the acquisition of public art.
The artwork, entitled “V is for Veterans”, was created by artist Stephanie Jaffe Werner to honor all five of the United States Military Branches – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
As part of the Miami Dade Art in Public Places Program, a professional Advisory Committee made up of local arts professionals was formed and with the support of the Town’s Veterans Committee, selected Jaffe’s artwork to adorn Town Hall and to pay tribute to the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Whether placed in public plazas or staged in shadow boxes, the artwork of Stephanie Jaffe Werner is distinguished by unconventional combinations of handcrafted and found materials. Her vibrant collages and mosaics integrate eclectic elements such as vintage keepsakes, dolls and fine china with blown glass and fired clay to create whimsical arrangements.
Now based in South Florida, Jaffe was raised in New York amid a family business that manufactured wire components, nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for collecting a wide array of objects and transforming them in creative ways.
Since 2004, Jaffe has been selected by public juries and commissioned by private enterprises for numerous interior murals and outdoor projects. Jaffe’s distinctive works are permanently installed throughout Florida, from the accessible Lealman Park “L” in Pinellas County to the monumental Florida Highwaymen Obelisk in Fort Pierce that features her hand-carved ceramic interpretations of landscape paintings itinerant African-American artists sold along state highways in the 1950s. For more information on Jaffe, visit www.stephaniejaffewerner.com.
For more information on the unveiling ceremony, contact Special Events and Committee coordinator Clarisell De Cardenas at decardenasc@miamilakes-fl.gov.