Public Art

Hello dearies!

Lately I've run into a bunch of awesome public art projects around Seattle. I feel the great need to gush about them somewhere. What's that you say? Here? This very blog? I thought is was a writing blog. Yes, I suppose art and writing are well connected. Alright then. That's a lovely idea! =)

First up, the Neototem's Children's Garden by Gloria Bornstein. This series of brass sea creatures is located outside our local Children's Theater and I just adore them. Here are my favorites of the bunch:

Also near the Children's Theater, are a series of silly stone heads arranged in a circle. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the name of this piece or who the artist is, but we sure love them!

While visiting the South Lake Union water park this summer, I stumbled on this fascinating piece. Again, I can't seem to find any information online about the artist or title, but the concept was intriguing: a tiny, unfinished house, filled with natural sticks and logs. I loved this simple reversal of exterior and interior. It made me think about the various ways we humans attempt to contain and shape our environments.

This next piece by Danielle Foushee we found at Carkeek Park. I love the simple way it interacts with the landscape and suggests so many beautiful natural elements : waves, bubbles, clouds, & wind.

Also at Carkeek is a piece titled "Passage" by Dara Solliday and Savina Mason. It's comprised of a series of gently colored frames that form a portal overlooking the Sound.

And then there are projects that pop up without the blessing of the Parks & Rec Department. Some of them I love just as much, though I know graffitti can be a controversial subject. I have a fondness for this mysterious face in West Ewing Mini Park and not-so-secretly hope that no one cleans it up.

Last, but not least, deep in Carkeek Park is a pretty little orchard where artist and poet Shin Yu Pai patiently stained words onto the fruit itself. I spent an afternoon wandering around searching for the words and it was magical to say the least. Many of the words felt dissonant with the place, words like INDEX and JEFFERSON. But there were others that, for me, seemed to grow from the trees themselves, words like ORIGIN and FOUND.

I certainly enjoy going to museums on occasion, but I also enjoy art in the wide world beyond. The kind of art you can stumble on one autumn afternoon, in a small sunlit orchard.

Thanks for stopping by everyone. Much love.

All photos in this post are by me. You can read more about this last piece at the Poetry Foundation or at Literary Hub . For more information on public art projects in Seattle please see the Seattle.gov site on Public Art.