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12
washington county arts guide
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march – may 2013
By Deeda Schroeder
M
aybe you’d like to
check out some of the
public art in
Washington County but
aren’t sure where to start.
Or perhaps it has been along your
commute or next to your office all
along but you just didn’t know to
look.
The county’s public art is as varied
as its inhabitants, so go take a look –
even if you’re not the “artsy” type.
Here are a few artworks to explore
— from sculpture and photography
to banners and benches — the next
time you’re out and about.
Beaverton
■
The Beaverton Arts Commission’s
Temporary Sculpture Program
recently installed two pieces: North
Plains artist James Schmidt’s “Sea
Horse” at Lombard Plaza and Bruce
West’s “Stacked Cubes” at Progress
Ridge — a partnership between the
Beaverton Arts Council and Tualatin
Hills Parks and Rec.
■
Beaverton Arts Commission’s
Mural Program: Five murals, built
between 2009 and 2012 are scattered
throughout the downtown Beaverton
core. You’ll find artist Gina Wilson’s
wall at at 12475 SW 1st St.; artist
Hector Hernandez and Merlo Station
students’ wall at 12590 Southwest
Broadway St.; artist Angelina
Marino’s murals at 12655 SW 1st St.
and 12655 SW 1st St.; and artist Bev
Ecker’s mural at 12412 SW Broadway
St. at the Beaverton History Center.
■
“Singing Sky” sculpture in
Beaverton City Park, created by
Wisconsin artist Richard Taylor.
Taylor’s tall, metal sculpture was
created to echo the diversity of the
people who live and visit Beaverton.
■
“Growing Together,” an exhibit
from the group Women Learning
Photography Together featuring more
than 90 photos, is at City Hall, 4755
SW Griffith Dr., supported by the
Beaverton Arts Commission.
■
Revolving art exhibits at
Providence St. Vincent Hospital, 9205
SW Barnes Rd.; Cedar Hills Rec
Center, 11640 SW Park Way; and the
Artisan Salon, 4430 SW Lombard Ave.,
are all supported by the Beaverton
Arts Commission.
Hillsboro
■
“Hello Neighbor” Project banners,
downtown Hillsboro, are courtesy of
the Hillsboro Arts and Culture
Council, 4-H of Washington County
and South Meadows Middle School
students. Giant banners are featured
on business buildings, showcasing
students’ photography. Artist Julie
Keefe came up with the idea as a way
to get to know her own neighbors,
and passed the project on to middle
schoolers with great success.
■
Hillsboro Civic Center, 150 E. Main
Street. Take a close look at sculptural
details embedded throughout the
plaza, as well as handmade glass
mosaics of children’s games from
artist Linda Haworth, and Brian
Borello’s laser-cut steel and enamel
“Sequoia Frond” sculpture on the
exterior wall of the North Plaza.
■
Magnolia Park, located at 1810
N.W. 192nd Ave. Along with wide
open lawn and magnolia trees, a
spraying water fountain holds
hundreds of one-inch mosaic tiles
from artist Lynn Adamo. There’s a
playground and picnic shelter, too.
Forest Grove
■
The Forest Grove Public Arts
Commission’s first “call for artists”
yielded three eclectic benches in 2010.
Robert Foster’s bench, located in front
of the Community Auditorium at 1915
Main St., is an oak tree bench of
highly-polished painted metal; Stuart
Nakamura’s bench, in front of the
Grove Theater on Pacific Avenue, is a
concrete bench with mosaic tile inlay;
Eric Canon’s bench at the corner of
Main Street and 21st Avenue, contains
panel images of the wine industry,
farmers market and chalk art, using
brass, stainless steel, copper and
bronze.
■
Canon also created the striking
bell tower at the main entrance to the
Forest Grove United Church of Christ
at University and 21st avenues, as
well as the metalwork for the Valley
Art façade one block west on Main
Street.
■
Two well-known statues in town
include the “newspaper man” sitting
on a bench, reading the paper,
Keep an eye out for your taxpayer dollars at work—public art may be closer than you think
Disembodied heads and saddled-up canoes
“Sea Horse” by North Plains Artist Jim Schmidt is part of the Beaverton Arts Commission’s Temporary Sculpture Program. It turns
heads at the city’s Lombard Plaza.
courtesy photo