A resident of Arlington Heights, Camelia Nahlik captured the image that will don the cover of the next telephone directory produced by the Arlington-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce.

She responded to the call for art, “What makes Arlington Unique,” mentioning the river and, more specifically, the Festival of the River held near her house on the Stillaguamish River every summer. She met people from as far away as Florida, Texas and Ohio at the festival and enjoyed the birds of prey on display and the information on forest conservation.

Her photograph is not of the festival, however. The photograph selected by the chamber board of directors depicts the river in winter, when some of the riparian trees were bare and others draped in golden leaves which reflected on the surface of the water.

“The river represents the giving of life to all people,” she said.

Nahlik said she acquired her interest in art from her mother, who was a photographer for a Canadian newspaper and who also painted in oils and watercolors. Now Nahlik also paints as well as taking pictures.

Nahlik was born in Cuba and adopted at age 4 and a half by parents who traveled the world over, she said.

“I started taking pictures with a little Brownie camera,” she said.

“We are very lucky to live in a place with such beautiful surroundings,” she said, adding that she felt very honored to be selected for the directory cover.