FLOW: Art Along the Ship Canal continues with four new artists this summer with new installations by Perri Rhoden, Allyce Wood, Malayka Gormally, and Marsha Rollinger. Commissioned by ARTS in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), these temporary installations tell a visual story of the unifying nature of water, how it flows through the city, and connects these uniquely distinct neighborhoods to each other. The installations are made possible due to SPU’s Ship Canal Water Quality Project and can be seen along the Lake Washington Ship Canal through February 2023.
FLOW: Art Along the Ship Canal is part of a slate of art installations and events this summer. A diverse mix of local artists, genres, and themes will make the summer of 2022 one filled with arts experiences for everyone. This year’s slate of art and artists explore themes of nature, conservancy, history, connections, resilience, and responsibility through both permanent commissions and temporary public artworks that are ephemeral, experiential, and experimental allowing artists to explore current issues.
Landscape, Collage, Waterway, Tapestry by Allyce Wood
Fremont
Visual artist Allyce Wood’s large-scale drawings depict our changing city and the waterways that connect us. With site-specific colors, she uses digital means to create new views of our surroundings, incorporating symbols like ribbons, currents, streams, and raindrops to speak to shifts and changes, pools, and weather fronts. This series tells the story of the constant pull of water in all of its changeable states.
Aquatic Kaleidoscopes by Marsha Rollinger
E Ballard
Life on earth depends on water. Throughout the ages, all living creatures have congregated around it. Humans have designed vessels to contain it, traverse it, and created structures to reroute and utilize it. It has been culturally significant throughout history and has inspired imaginative stories that gave rise to timeless legends, deities, and mythical creatures.
“For the FLOW project, I randomly asked members of the community what objects, animals, and myths came to mind relating to water. I then drew icons based on the responses and used the icons to create a series of kaleidoscope designs. As an unexpected fun twist, I’ve incorporated three ‘spot-the-difference’ elements within each kaleidoscope design, inviting passersbyers to participate beyond just briefly viewing the designs.”
Marsha Rollinger
A Visual Love Letter by Perri Rhoden
Ballard
“I want to dedicate this mural to my younger self and to the communities that poured love, light, and energy into me throughout my life. As I enter my 31st year around the sun, I am growing a deeper appreciation for the importance of self-love, self-care, and self-preservation. This artwork is a visual love letter of positive and healing energy for those who gaze upon it. Healing starts within. My question to you: What part of yourself needs more love and attention?”
Perri Rhoden
“Young love, don’t ever waste your life
I see that you’re searching for peace of mind
Young love, I want you to value your light
I see that you’re searching for peace of mind” – Lyrics by Cleo Soul
Immigrant Footprints by Malayka Gormally
Wallingford
A daughter of an immigrant, Gormally is interested in highlighting immigrants’ individuality and presence in our society. Immigrant Footprints incorporates imagery from Gormally’s drawings of immigrants in our region who are from India, Ethiopia, and Cameroon.
Also included in this project are her drawings referencing imagery from vintage photographs of European immigrants at Ellis Island (New York) in 1900; Gormally’s maternal ancestors came through Ellis Island in this time period.
FLOW: Art Along the Ship Canal is an annual program that utilizes the construction fences along the Ship Canal Water Quality project as a backdrop to allow artists to showcase their unique voices and provide a changing gallery of experiences for those who walk, bike, drive along the Burke-Gilman Trail and throughout the area.
Artists were selected by a panel of artists, community members, and City staff. The project is commissioned with SPU 1% for Art funds.
