Public Art Collection - Page 1

Medium: Tile mosaic

Acquisition: Gift From Gerry Lemon

About: The donor of this gift to the city was a lifelong saltwater yachtsman who felt strongly that Olympia’s placement at the southern most point of Puget Sound should be emphasized.  The artists were from Klee Wyk Studio located on the Nisqually Flats, who worked with Indian motifs and non-traditional materials like mosaic.

Medium: Acrylic on canvas

Acquisition: Friends of the Olympia Library

About: Commissioned by Friends of the Library in time for the opening of the new building, the work was completed in colors to match the bicentennial theme of the interior.  The artist noted that her paintings exist in the “reality gap” that lies somewhere between what a photograph might reveal, and what her visual memory may harbor.

Medium: Serpentine

Acquisition: Gift from Patrons of South Sound Cultural Activities (POSSCA)

About: Carved into 3,000lbs of serpentine stone, the intention of the work was for children to be able to engage with and touch the artwork while visiting the library.  The work was a gift from Patrons of South Sound Cultural Arts.

Medium: Cedar

Acquisition: Gift from Patrons of South Sound Cultural Activities (POSSCA)

About: Kujira means “orca” in Japanese.  Kujira II is located in our sister-city, Kato City (formerly Yashiro), Japan.  Around that time, there had been an unusual pod of orcas spotted near Budd Bay.  The sculpture is a welcome for any future visitors and because orcas and humans are at the top of the food chain, both benefit from a healthy eco-system.

Medium: Cast Aluminum

Acquisition: Gift from Patrons of South Sound Cultural Activities (POSSCA)

About: One of Olympia's most beloved sculptures, The Kiss, was created by artist Richard Beyer, formerly of Pateros, WA, now living in New York.  Mr. Beyer has created some of the most recognizable sculptures in Washington state including People Waiting for the Interurban  in Freemont.  During the design phase of this project, Mr. Beyer visited Olympia and personally selected the site on Percival Landing for the sculpture becuase of the romantic view of Budd Bay with the Olympic peaks in the distance.  He is very passionate about public art as a social force that brings people together and creates community.  Richard Beyer celebrates things that make being alive worthwhile:  family and friends, work and caring.  He emphasizes gestures of everyday people in the midst of living.  The sculpture communicates directly with people everyday, and it invites touch and interaction.  It has become a focal point for Olympia.  There a second Beyer sculpture in Olympia, Dancing Goats , commissioned by Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters and located outside their Tasting Room by the Olympia Farmers Market

richardbeyersculpture.com

Medium: Mixed Media

Acquisition: 1% Public Art Allotment - Fire Station Construction

About: The artist’s interest and research in the historical traditions of metalworking and its surface alteration are reflected in this work, through the use of various oxides and patinas.  Sheets of copper and brass are his “canvas” and gold, lead, tin and industrial chemicals are his “paints.”

Medium: Acrylic

Acquisition: 1% Public Art Allotment - Fire Headquarters Construction

About: This project is about the interface between preparedness and the unpredictable.  To develop ideas for the work, the artist spent time at this Fire Station, observing and talking with the firefighters on duty.  The images remind us that practicing is as much a part of the job as is that for which they practice.

Medium: Pastel

Acquisition: General Fund

Medium: Bronze

Acquisition: 1% Public Art Allotment - Eastside Fire Station Construction

About: An avid falconer, the artist was able to use his own falcon as a model for this interpretation of a prairie falcon, making very close observations prior to and during the creation.