Olympia Arts Commission recommends art pieces for Percival Plinth Landing art installations

The Olympia Arts Commission recommended 17 sculptures for new public art installations at Percival Plinth Landing to the city council for approval.

On Thursday, February 8, Olympia's Arts Program and Planning supervisor, Stephanie Johnson, said there were 28 applicants for the 2024 Percival Plinth arts program.

The proposed sculptures cover various styles and mediums, from carved wood and reclaimed metal to mixed media and bronze works. Several pieces explore themes of cultural heritage, environmental stewardship, and social justice.

The jury recommended the following art pieces from local and regional artists:

• Stone Soup by Dan Brown of Okanogan

A summer event inspired the art piece in Tenasket School District, where 22 community members worked together to construct a greenhouse. The story of Stone Soup has everyone contribute something that results in a delicious soup broth.

• Circular Memory by Aisha Harrison of Olympia

An art piece that explores the artist's mixed-race identity and connection to the natural world through sculpture.

• Leaning Figure by Aisha Harrison of Olympia, WA.
• Axel the Pelican Eating Fish by Eileen Lagasse of Olympia

Repurposes junk materials into functional or artistic pieces to reduce landfill waste.

• Parthia by William Lenker of Tenino

The Puget Sound tugboat Parthia sank in the Hood Canal, has been raised, and is currently undergoing restoration at a local marina.

• Cloud Nine by Ed McCarthy of Renton

A sculpture intended to portray blissfulness.

• Clara by Missy Douglas and Kim Rask of Seattle

A proposed fiberglass sculpture honoring Clara Patil, a pioneer of women's suffrage.

• Shachihoko by Robin Momii of Seattle

A carved stone sculpture celebrating the artist's Japanese ancestry and cultural heritage despite family assimilation into American culture.

• Wild Salmon of the Salish Sea by Steven Nagode of Federal Way

A welded steel sculpture of salmon emerging from aquatic plants celebrating local marine life.

• Dragonfly by Kyle Ocean of Shelton, WA

The design encouraged exploration and engagement with the piece, blending various textures. Topographical lines etched into the steel surface emulate the terrain features within the Olympic mountain ranges.

• Break the Chains by Nathan Robles of Kennewick, WA

A steel sculpture depicting a shackled figure breaking free, representing common struggles and victories of oppression and limitations.

• The Dungie by Nevin Sallouti of Bellingham

A large steel crab sculpture intended to intrigue visitors and raise awareness of local marine creatures.

• Ember by Karen Sixkiller of Port Angeles

The sculpture depicts a realistic bronze spider emerging from a steel web. The central figure carries a red crystal sphere, symbolizing the legendary fire she brought to the mainland in Cherokee traditional stories.

• Water Beetle Bring Sacred Soil (peeking over edge) by Karen Sixkiller of Port Angeles

A ceramic to be case in bronze that tells the Cherokee story of the beetle creating dry land by bringing up mud from the bottom of the ocean. The artist relays a Cherokee parable where a beetle is pivotal in the community.

• Water Watcher by Mark Twain Stevenson of Port Townsend

The sculpture, originally crafted from plywood and later reproduced in stainless steel, serves as a reminder of the need for everyone to have safe water.

• Melting Iceberg Ancient Water by Ken Turner of Seattle
• Persist by MacRae Wylde of Hood River, OR

A twisted steel column representing perseverance through its construction challenges.