Sculptures will adorn the new Mark Clark Bridge
By JEREMIAH O’HAGAN Staff Reporter
Debbie Rhodes designs chosen for new bridge.
Four metal wildlife sculptures will arc above the sidewalls of the new Mark Clark Bridge, one at each corner.
Parsons-Kuney, the general contracting firm doing the construction of the bridge, asked their design team to add the artistic element to signify the bridge as a gateway between two communities.
The art isn’t funded by state money, but Parsons- Kuney fronted $9,000 for the project and enlisted the help of Camano Island resident Dale LeMaster, past president of Camano Arts Association (CAA), in selecting a local artist to fashion the pieces.
LeMaster formed a committee – including Stanwood Mayor Dianne White, Island County Commissioner John Dean, Theresa Metzger, executive director of Stanwood Camano Area Foundtation (SCAF) and Roger Cocke, director of CAA – and the committee solicited proposals from local artists.
The proposals had to meet criteria set forth by Parsons Kuney, which included height and weight guidelines and the use of durable materials that required minimal maintenance.
The key requirement was a location-specific design that focused on the “historical, geographic and cultural identity of the area.”
“We were looking for themes that would blend with the natural beauty of
the area,” said Greg Pindras,
Parsons-Kuney’s project manager.
Seven local artists submitted, and Camano resident Debbi Rhodes’ design found favor with the committee.
“It wasn’t a slam dunk,” LeMaster said, “but Debbi was either first or second on everyone’s list.”
Rhodes envisioned four metal wildlife sculptures – an eagle, orca, heron and salmon, each adorning one corner of the bridge.
“I chose iconic Northwest images,” Rhodes said. “The orca symbolizes strength, the salmon perseverance, the heron patience and the eagle freedom.”
In addition, Rhodes said, the sculptures are paired specifically to emphasize the tension that always exists in nature.
The orca and salmon face one another because the salmon is the orca’s food, Rhodes said, while the eagle and the heron, in some ways, compete for food. And yet, she added, they all need each other.
LeMaster said, “Debbi was very specific about what her pieces symbolize, at least to her. She thought it through well, including how they would be attached and how to achieve structural strength.”
The sculptures will be attached to the outside of the bridge railing by brackets, and be fashioned from quarter inch thick corten steel, or “weathering steel.” Meant to be left unpainted, the sculptures will weather naturally, developing a corrosion-resistant outer layer and creating a unique marriage of industrial material with the representation and processes of nature specific to this marine area.
To achieve sheer strength, Rhodes used a method called “cruciform construction,” where a vertical brace is welded to the height of the flat sculpture, creating a cross if viewed from overhead. Rhodes’ braces are in the shape of evergreen trees.
“Approaching the bridge,” she said, you’ll see the silhouettes of the wildlife. Then, as you drive by, the flash of an evergreen before the image is silhouetted again in your rearview mirror.”
The estimated cost for the project is $17,300. In addition to Parsons-Kuney’s $9,000, CAA contributed $2,000 and Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation (SCAF) donated $6,300.
Metzger said SCAF raised the money through “Art Banner” fundraisers and was looking for an opportunity to contribute to public art.
“The art on the bridge seemed the perfect place to use the rest of the money,” said Metzger.
Rhodes expects to begin work on the sculptures in May and complete them by the end of June so they can be installed mid-July.
