City of Bellingham Project

In recent emails, I've highlighted some of the smaller projects I've been working in this year. But this is my largest public art project to date!

Last March, I was selected for a public art project by the City of Bellingham. They are improving the Birchwood neighborhood, adding sidewalks and lights to create a safer, nicer environment, and they needed some artwork that would engage local residents, but had not chosen a specific location, theme, or type of project. I had a unique opportunity to work with the committee from the very beginning, creating a proposal from scratch.

Mandala Sidewalk Inlays

The first stage of the project will be two 4'-8" sidewalk inlays. I created several design proposals, which were voted on during a community event and finalized by the Arts Commission. I've been fabricating the designs using matte glass tile on mesh, which temporarily holds the mosaic together until it can be set into mortar on site. Each design is a mandala featuring Pacific NW species. One includes blue herons, salmon, skunk cabbage and birch trees, and will be located on or near Birchwood Ave. The other includes otters, eagles, sword ferns and maple trees, and will be located on Maplewood Ave. I began work on the mandalas in August, and I expect to have them ready for installation in December, though construction schedules and weather will determine when they are installed. It is likely to be spring of 2018.

"Kid Garden" Light Post Bases

Part two of the project is a community engagement component. For two days in June, I rolled out giant craft paper at Squalicum Creek Park and invited local kids to help design a garden with their faces on the flowers. They did a great job and I returned to my studio with the three 9' x 3' designs that I needed to create vertical installations that will go on concrete light post bases along Maplewood Ave, between the two sidewalk inlays. My goal was for kids in the neighborhood to see themselves in the artwork and to feel a direct connection to it. Through summer, I fabricated the drawings in mosaic, and I've been slowly filling in the backgrounds between other projects. I expect to have this component ready for installation in January, but again, it will depend on construction and weather.

To follow my progress:

Last year, I learned how to use Instagram, and I really like it. It's easy to upload images from my phone, so I use it regularly to post progress pictures, shots of the studio, snippets from my life, etc. You can find me at jenn.kuhns.

I also have a business page on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferKuhnsMosaic
I'm even on twitter! Honestly, I haven't gotten comfortable with twitter. It's just too much. Usually, I just let my posts on other platforms share automatically on twitter. But if that's your preferred way to get updates: https://twitter.com/jkmosaic

And if you're more of an in-person person, feel free to schedule a studio visit. Be warned that I work in chaos, but I have an eclectic house, full of mosaic projects, and a lot of available work on my walls and stashed in suitcases. I live about 30 miles from the Westside of Olympia, WA. 360-482-8024