"3 Faces (3 Phases)" by Gerardo Peña, image courtesy of the artist. The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (OAC) is thrilled to announce that Gerardo “Periko” Peña is selected to create new site-integrated public artwork for the NE 130 St & NE 125 St Mobility and Safety Project and the Lake City Floodplain Park Project. This is a partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU).
This commission will introduce a series of metal, concrete inlays embedded directly into newly constructed sidewalks and public right-of-way improvements along a 1.7-mile corridor that connects Haller Lake and Lake City, with one additional artwork integrated into the Floodplain Park site. These projects bring together transportation safety, environmental resilience, and community storytelling, all demonstrating how public art can enrich essential infrastructure.
Through SDOT’s and SPU’s 1% for Art Fund, these infrastructure investments include integrated public art, ensuring that improvements to safety and sustainability are also opportunities for cultural expression and neighborhood pride.
Artwork Concept: Metal, Concrete Inlays
Peña will design 9 metal, concrete inlays, to be embedded into sidewalks and right-of-way areas along the corridor and within Floodplain Park.
Artwork locations will include:
- Northacres Park entrances
- Pinehurst Station
- Bus stop waiting areas and curb extensions
- Lake City Way and 125 Street
- The Flood Plain Park site
Rather than standing apart from the built environment, these inlays become part of the everyday experience which can be encountered while walking to transit, waiting for a bus, visiting the park, or exploring the neighborhood.
The artist will conduct meaningful community engagement to gather input and ensure the final designs are inspired by neighborhood identity, culture, and history while maintaining visual continuity across the corridor.
See the Medium in Action: Saltwater Streets
Community members curious about this artistic medium can explore Vaughn Bell’s Saltwater Streets series.
Saltwater Streets is part of the Ship Canal Water Quality Project, spanning multiple neighborhoods and construction sites, the project uses metal, concrete inlays to create a connective thread across waterways, artists, and communities.
Bell conceptualized and led the public art initiative, designing multiple artwork portals embedded within sidewalks. She also invited collaborating artists Preston Singletary, David Franklin, RYAN! Feddersen, and Jeffrey Veregge (coming 2027) design portals located near their large-scale public artworks.
Together, the inlays unify infrastructure and art across neighborhoods—demonstrating how this durable and accessible medium can bring beauty and narrative to civic projects.
The corridor and Floodplain Park artworks will build on this approach while introducing a new artistic voice shaped by community input and Peña’s distinct visual style.
View images and learn more about Saltwater Streets.
A Thoughtful Selection Process
The opportunity was open to regional (WA, OR, ID) emerging and mid-career artists from our Public Artist Roster. A total of 51 artists opted to be considered for the project. A selection panel that included Lake City Collective co-founders César García and Peggy Hernández, long-time residents Jan Peterson and Mark Hammerlund, and project advisors Vaughn Bell and Robert MacDonald, met for orientation, application review, and interviews.
From all applicants, three finalists were invited for in-depth interviews by the panel:
After careful evaluation, the panel recommended Peña, highlighting his strong artistic alignment with project goals, a clear visual style, and an enthusiasm and knowledge of the Lake City and Haller Lake communities. Additionally, the panel felt this project would be a great opportunity for an emerging artist.
Meet The Artist
Gerardo Peña, better known as Periko the Artist, was born in Querétaro, México, but his family moved when he was a young child to the state of Washington. He was raised up and down the Puget Sound and currently lives near Seattle. With a background in business management, and with the current political climate, as a DACA recipient who recently received his green card, Peña felt that it was now or never the time to focus his energy as an artist.
Typically a surreal painter, Peña expanded into public art and the multimedia world. His art is an introspection of his journey into self-identity and an emotional response of the world around him, many times touching subjects of mental health and the immigrant experience. Peña works with many types of materials: metals, clays, and glass. In recent years, he’s mainly focused on murals to help transform spaces.
What’s Next?
Gerardo Peña will begin work in the coming months, collaborating with OAC, SDOT, SPU, project designers, and community members. This collaboration process will include:
- Community engagement and research
- Concept development and refinement
- Coordination with engineers and fabrication teams
- Design review and final approvals
Project completion is targeted for fall 2026.
We look forward to sharing updates and celebrating the transformation of this important connection between neighborhoods.
