By LEAH WEATHERSBY

The Seattle Public Library has hired local artist Jane Grafton to help create the art portion of the Lake City Library renovation.

This spring, Grafton, 44, applied to be the first local artist to participate in the Art Partners program and in August she was accepted.

Art Partners pairs neighborhood residents with experienced public artists to create projects for certain Seattle libraries which are slated for renovation. So far, four libraries in Seattle have been selected for Art Partners projects but the Lake City Library is the only one in North Seattle.

Grafton, who has lived in the Victory Heights neighborhood of Greater Lake City for 15 years, competed against 16 other Lake City area artists for the position.

By day Grafton works as a program analyst for Group Health, but in her spare time she creates art. These days that are mostly consists for metal collages using found tin. She seems to have a passion for finding treasure in items others took to be trash.

I'm an incorrigible junk hound," Grafton said. "You can find beauty in strange places."

In a town of recyclers that philosophy should play well. That's important, because a big part of Grafton's job will be to reach out to the Lake City community and involve them in the library's art project - whatever it may be. Grafton said she was ready for that assignment and indeed her resume indicates that she has community spirit.

Over the last several years, Grafton has been heavily involved with the art program at Sacajawea Elementary on the border between Maple Leaf and Victory Heights, where both of her daughters attend school.

Not only has Grafton volunteered to teach art classes after school, but she has collaborated with the kids to create several art projects including a mosaic table top and a mirror with a tin collage frame. Grafton is also working with Kate Hohlbein, a Sacajawea kindergarten teacher, and others to raise funds for an art studio at the school which would be available for both kids and the community.

"Jane stood out for a couple of reasons," said Lisa Richmond, project manager with the Seattle Arts Commission. "One of them was her obvious ability to working with community members."

To create the art project for the renovated Lake City Library, Grafton will have the help of Linda Haworth, an experienced public artist from Portland, Ore.

Currently the Lake City Library renovation is slated to be completed sometime in 2002. For more information about the renovation project, contact Douglas Bailey at 386-4173. For information about Art Partners, contact Lisa Richmond at 684-0998. (