Two stories of shimmering glass and a stairwell-sized painting will evoke Snoqualmie Falls at the new City Hall.

City Hall will house two pieces by artists Eden Rivers and Kathleen Frugé-Brown, selected by the Snoqualmie Arts Commission and paid for through state funds sets aside for the arts.

“We wanted something that was representative of the Valley,” said Jeff Waters, chairman of the city’s Art Commission.

The commission received many submissions, a lot of them good, but many didn’t express a local connection, he said.

“We wanted to say ‘Snoqualmie,’” Waters said. “We wanted something that spoke of the Valley.”

Rivers is creating a two-story sculpture made of blown glass plates that will hang and turn like a mobile. Hung in the lobby of city hall, its plates will refract light throughout a two-story space.

Frugé-Brown is creating an eight-panel painting of Snoqualmie Falls for the stairwell leading from the lobby to the second floor office space.

“We’ve seen one of her mockups,” Waters said. “Beautiful, beautiful work.

“She paints on steel,” Waters added. “They bake it, and it’s hard as a rock.”

Frugé-Brown’s piece, “Snoqualmie Falls, August,” took three months to produce. The 12-foot-high piece’s panels were fired in a kiln between four and six times apiece. It costs $26,500.

“I take a collaborative approach to public art,” said Frugé-Brown, who spent a day with Waters touring the Valley for likely subject matter.

“Because we wanted a vertical format for the stairwell, and the Falls is so iconic, we quickly settled on the Falls,” she said. Frugé-Brown did early studies above and below the falls, hauling an easel down the trail. The lower-level view won out.

“People are going to notice both of those pieces,” City Administrator Bob Larson said. “It’s going to complement the building and the space within it.”

Waters said he’s excited and pleased with the arts opportunities at the new city hall. The selection process was a rigorous one — “and, I think, one of the best things that the Arts Commission has ever done,” he said.

The artwork will be unveiled at a celebration and open house, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at the new city hall, located at River and Maple Streets. The day includes a ribbon cutting, live music, children’s entertainment, refreshments, and tours of City Hall.

The unveiling is officially set for 10:30 a.m.

While some neighbors have commented that the new modern-style city hall sticks out downtown, “I like it,” Waters said. “It’s wonderful to have everything in one place.”