Olympia Salmon Run Public Art Project

Olympia, WA

 

Ten local artists were selected to decorate fiberglass  molds representing male or female salmon. The finished pieces went on public display in various downtown Olympia locations.

These photographs are from the boxed greeting card sets that are now available in limited edition. Cost for each box is $15 with proceeds going to programs sponsored by the Parks, Arts, Recreation & Cultural Organization.

For purchase information, call 360-753-8380

The Interconnected Connection

Sherry Buckner with Tumwater High School students

 

  

 

Struggle to Survive

Michelle Williams, Thuy Luu-Beams, Billie-Gwen Russell, Paul Stasch

 Blueback Beads in a Roe

Maureen "MoreRain" Nelson

 

Salmon Boy Rides the Watershed

Paul J. & Carolyn C. Wagner, Coquina Creations Studio

Offerings

Lucy Gentry with family & friends

 

People of the Water

Andrea Marie Wilber-Sigo

Souls of Extinction

David Sederberg, Eli Sterling, HeatherTaylor-Zimmerman

 

Salmonscape

Kristine Sogn with McKenny Elementary School students

 Wishupona Fish

Stephanie Lee Fraher, Carolyn Cox, Ashley Shomo, Pat Starzyk

 

Notes on a few of the pieces:

"Struggle to Survive" is covered with labels from commercial canned salmon products.

"Offerings" is decorated with recipes for salmon dishes.

"Blueback Beads in a Roe has over 30,000 beads, each individually glued to the piece.

"Wishupona Fish" is covered with 660 pennies, each representing a wish from the coin's donor. The wishes, each written on a piece of paper were placed inside the fish.

The fish were to remain in their street locations for a limited time. All of the fish are now on display at the Olympia Center.

Early in 2003, Wishupona Fish was stolen from its public display location, only to be found later in Denver, CO. In February, 2004, the fish was returned to Olympia where it joined its brethren  at the Olympia Center.  The luck goes on!

The red fingerling salmon in "The Lucky One" (right), represents the one baby salmon out of approximately every 1750 that will survive to return home to spawn. There are 1750 fingerling salmon on this piece.

Photography: © 2002 Carl Cook. All rights reserved.

 

Project and cards sponsored by the City of Olympia (WA) Parks, Arts and Cultural Department -- unlike this web page which is not sponsored by the City of Olympia (WA) Parks, Arts, etc. Address any complaints, errors of fact, and so on, to the photographer. Address any questions about the art (fish) or the greeting cards to the above phone number. Purchase these cards and help the Parks Dept. help those who need its services.

 

The Lucky One

Nikki McClure