Portland – Public Art and Architecture from Around the World

The Responsibility of Raising a Child

Posted by Cindy on October 20, 2014

Oct 202014

5th Avenue between Yamhill and Taylor Streets
Portland, OR

Along the TriMet route you will find this 2004 bronze buy Rick Bartow. Rick Bartow weaves Native American symbols of parenting and life cycles throughout The Responsibility of Raising a Child. The sculpture started out expressing the difficult circumstances of single parents, but by placing the infant in the basket it becomes a hopeful, encouraging and optimistic work.

Rick Bartow was born in 1946 in Newport, Oregon to a Yurok and Wiyot father who relocated to Oregon for work and married Bartow’s Euro-American mother. His artwork is influenced not only by his Native American heritage, but also by the effects of a thirteen-month tour of duty in Vietnam. He graduated from Western Oregon University in 1969 with a degree in Secondary Art Education, prior to being drafted into the Army.

Bartow is highly prolific working in sculpture, print, etching, monotype, ceramics, mixed media, and painting.

Bartow is currently working on a permanent outdoor installation for the Smithsonian Institute-National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.

Nepenthes

Posted by Cindy on October 20, 2014

Oct 202014

Along NorthWest Davis Street Portland, OR These amazing structures are by Seattle based artist Dan Corson and are titled Nepenthes. There are four of them along NorthWest Davis Street ,each standing 17 feet tall covered in photo-voltaic cells. The elements glow at night. Nepenthes, named after the magical greek potion that eliminates sorrow and suffering. From an article by DesignBoom: By referencing the patterns of Oregon native vegetation and other carnivorous plants and inserting a quirky expression of nature into an urban environment, these sculptures celebrate historic Chinatown’s unique and diverse community. The structures are created out of robust layers Continue Reading

Burls will be Burls

Posted by Cindy on October 20, 2014

Oct 202014

6th Avenue between Burnside and Ash Portland, OR According to the TriMet website: Burls Will be Burls, by Bruce Conkle, is a tribute to snowmen and to the forests of the Pacific Northwest. The cast bronze figures of Burls Will be Burls represent what might happen when a snowman melts and nourishes a living tree—water is absorbed by the roots and carries the spirit of the snowman up into the tree where it manifests itself as burls. According to Conkle’s own website: Bruce Conkle declares an affinity for mysterious natural phenomenon such as snow, crystals, volcanos, rainbows, fire, tree burls, Continue Reading

Lee Kelly Fountain

Posted by Cindy on October 20, 2014

Oct 202014

Southwest 6th Avenue and Pine Street Portland, OR Oregon artist Lee Kelly, often referred to as “Oregon’s Sculptor” won an international competition to design this sculpture “Untitled.” In this work, water flows over several 20-foot-tall steel structures. Born in rural McCall in central Idaho, Kelly was raised near Riggins, Idaho. In the 1950s he graduated from what is now Portland State University before joining the United States Air Force. During the late 1950s he attended Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon. He presently lives in Oregon City, Oregon.

Talos Number 2

Posted by Cindy on October 20, 2014

Oct 202014

Southwest 6th Avenue and Stark Portland, OR Titled Talos Number 2 this bronze sculpture is by James Lee Hanson. “Talos No. 2 is part of the Portland Transit Mall. It was completed during 1959–1977, and was funded by TriMet and the United States Department of Transportation. The abstract sculpture depicts Talos, the giant man of bronze in Greek mythology who protected Crete from invaders. The piece is 7 feet tall and is administered by the Regional Arts & Culture Council, which offers the following description of Talos and the sculpture he inspired: “He had one vain running from his neck Continue Reading

Portland, Oregon Mills End’s Park

Posted by Cindy on October 10, 2011

Oct 102011

Mill End’s Park Portland, Oregon Mill Ends Park is a small park located in the median strip of SW Naito Parkway near SW Taylor Street in downtown Portland, Oregon. It was created on St. Patrick’s Day, 1948, to be “the only leprechaun colony west of Ireland,” according to its creator, Dick Fagan. It is the smallest park in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records, which first granted it this recognition in 1971. In 1948, the site that would become Mill Ends Park was intended to be the site for a light pole. When the pole failed to Continue Reading

Portland, Oregon – Cathedral Park

Posted by Cindy on October 9, 2011

Oct 092011

Cathedral Park Portland, Oregon This is Cathedral Park in Portland, Oregon. It is believed to be one of the 14 Lewis and Clark landing sites in the Vancouver-Portland area. It’s cathedral-like appearance comes from the fact that it sits under this gorgeous bridge. The St. Johns Bridge is a steel suspension bridge that spans the Willamette River. It is the only suspension bridge in the Valley. The bridge has two 408 foot tall Gothic towers, a 1,207 foot center span and a total length of 2,067 feet. It is also the tallest bridge in Portland. It was dedicated on Continue Reading