Music Out Loud mosaic in honor of Verne Eke, by Jennifer Kuhns

On Saturday, April 28, there was a dedication for three new mosaic sidewalk inlays in Downtown Olympia as part of the Music Out Loud program. Each mosaic was designed by a different local artist in honor of a musician who has been influential in the development of Olympia's music scene. The City plans to expand on this program, creating more memorial public art pieces in the future, and also scheduling live music events on the sites.

You can learn more about the overall project, including watching how it was installed by the Belarde Company, here: https://youtu.be/2xkWOLaIdPk

That's me, speaking at the dedication.

At the dedication, I spoke to the gathered crowd, explaining Verne Eke's design concept. While the above video and other articles about Music Out Loud articulate the overall project and each of the musicians being honored, I thought it would be useful to write a post about this specific design.

Verne Eke's likeness in mosaic.

From speaking with Verne's friends, I learned that he was a dynamic and fun person, but he didn't strive for center stage. He played piano and conducted orchestras, and it sounds like he saw the potential in the people he knew and encouraged them to perform. He created opportunities for others to shine, putting on musicals and fundraising for new venues for performing arts and music. I made Verne Eke the central focus of this design in a literal way, with a portrait, because I felt it was his turn to take the spotlight.

Verne's friend and sidekick, Jim This, emphasized that the piano should be prominent, along with a reference to his role as a conductor of orchestras. So, I backed the portrait with a ribbon that is part piano, and part music.

Verne loved musicals, and I noted that Hello Dolly was one of the shows he put on. I attended a performance of Hello Dolly when I was 4 years old, and I never forgot it. It was a special experience for me. While working on the design, I had the main song in my head throughout. I looked up the music sheets from the song and used a note progression from the phrase "It's good to have you back where you belong..." Verne was the primary force behind the development of the Washington Center for Performing Arts. Everyone who was around Verne during that time period says the Center would not exist if not for Verne. Now his likeness is permanently installed right in front of the entrance, and the musical phrase in the mosaic speaks to that.

One last detail is the circle logo for the Washington Center. Because the mosaic is directly in front of the building, it seemed redundant to make this element too bold. However, this is a signature accomplishment of Verne Eke's, and he worked very hard to raise the money and lobby for it, so it is in the background, but in a similar color and value to the concrete to make it subtle.

It has been an honor and pleasure to work on this project. It is completely different from any of my previous public art works because I did not fabricate the mosaic or install it. I consulted with the fabricator to finalize details, and I wasn't even involved in the installation at all - very strange for me! But it was also nice to know it was in capable hands, and I had time to work on other projects with pressing deadlines instead. And now I have a public art mosaic in my own community, in a prominent location, and there's even a plaque with my name included! I actually have never had a client place a plaque in or adjacent to any of my work, giving credit to the artist until now, and it means a lot to me.

One more, showing the excellent fabrication work.

Spring Events for JK Mosaic

This is almost more for my sake than anything else. I am finding it hard to keep track of everything that is happening this year!

First, a reminder that I am featured in a new book about contemporary mosaic, curated and published by Jacqueline Iskander, called "Creations." You can purchase the book directly from her at this link:
https://www.j-mosaic.com/books/creations

It is also available on Amazon, but please know that far more of the proceeds will go to Jacqueline if the book is purchased through her. It is very well put together, with a wide variety of mosaic artists and lots of color photos.

Music Out Loud in Olympia:

A new set of mosaic sidewalk inlays were installed in downtown Olympia last week. The title of the series is "Music Out Loud" and each mosaic commemorates an influential Olympia musician who is no longer living. My design is in front of the Washington Center for Performing Arts and is a tribute to Verne Eke, who was instrumental in the development of a performing arts scene in Olympia. He was the force behind the opening of Harlequin Productions and the Washington Center, and was an avid musician, both orchestrating musicals and playing piano. 

I chose to render Verne in portrait form for my design because he was a behind-the-scenes guy, bringing musicals and performances to life, but not being in the spotlight. I felt it was his turn to be the focus. There is a ribbon behind him that transitions between musical notes and piano keys. This represents his primary instrument, and the fact that he worked with orchestras. The musical notes that I included are a short series from the song, "Hello Dolly," which seems to have been a favorite of Verne's. The notes were pulled from the section of the song that goes, "It's good to have you back where you belong." This felt sentimental and poignant, given that Verne put so much energy into creating a vital performing arts scene, and his likeness will now grace the front of the one venue in our Capital City that brings top-notch music and performance to Thurston County on a regular basis.

The celebration of this series of artworks will take place on Saturday, April 28 (2018) from noon to 2pm. Here is the announcement (which features my design before installation):

Next Up: Diversity Mural!

I've finally been given the go-ahead to start installing the Diversity Mural in Shelton this Friday! I can't wait to see this project becoming a reality. I don't know how long it will take, but I'll post an update when I have something to share.

In the meantime, we continue to collect hearts and donations for the second Diversity Mural in Orlando. Please help us by donating and/or sharing to your contacts: https://www.gofundme.com/DiversityMural

Secret Project:

I've been slowly creating a mural for an Olympia client. But, it's a surprise, so if I tell you about it I'll have to kill you. All will be revealed in Mid- to Late- May. Shhhhh!

Bellingham:

For the past year (plus) I've been working on a multi-part project for the City of Bellingham, and it is DONE. For now, it is stored in my big, old studio, awaiting installation. There have been some construction delays and weather has been a factor, but it looks like everything is lining up for a late-May installation. One part of this project is a set of sidewalk inlays that are mandalas featuring Pacific NW wildlife. The other is a set of vertical mosaics designed by local kids that will be located along the street most of the kids walk between school and home, with the sidewalk inlays on each end of this area. I am really looking forward to seeing these go into place.

This is one of the mandalas, made of matte glass tiles on fiberglass mesh.

Olympia Arts Walk:

Is your head spinning yet? Because mine is.

Olympia's Spring Arts Walk is on April 27 & 28 this year. If you haven't attended, it is one of my favorite events of the year! Downtown is largely closed off to traffic and there is music and performance in the streets. The businesses stay open late hosting local artists, and it is definitely the place to be. I'll be at Hot Toddy, in one of the front windows. Because the only new work I have is on display at Wallow Gallery in Carlton, OR as part of the Chiaroscuro group mosaic exhibit (and I won't make yet another paragraph about that) I am showing my papercut artwork, plus any work by the teens I teach in Shelton, if I can get them to rustle up some courage and let me put it on display! (They are resisting.) 

I recently had one of my papercuts transformed into a metal banner for the South Capital neighborhood. When you approach the Capital grounds coming off of I-5, my banner is just to the left, high up on a pole. The original papercut will be for sale during Arts Walk, along with a whole body of this work, which is mostly done using a Polish folk art technique called "Wycinanki" where the paper is folded while cutting, revealing a symmetrical design when unfolded.

Project to honor my Sister-in-Law:

This is a harder project to announce. Last month, my dear sister-in-law passed away very unexpectedly due to complications from a very simple, usually minor infection. She was a beloved kindergarten teacher in Palmdale, CA for 3 decades, and will be awarded Teacher of the Year posthumously. The school library is being dedicated to her, and when I learned of this, it occurred to me that I can create a mosaic portrait of her to be hung in the library. My idea was received enthusiastically and immediately, so as soon as I complete my current (secret) project, I will get started on this portrait, which will be part of my own healing process.

Oh, and one more:

Years ago, I had a foyer framed out onto my old, big studio to help keep rain and cold out. But it has been sitting unfinished and ugly, right in the driveway. I promised that I would make it pretty this year, finally, so I have mesh sections with a folk-art inspired mosaic in progress. I work on it now and then, between other tasks. I am determined to get it finished by fall.

*There is a whole separate list of other types of events, like workshops and travel coming up this summer, but I think I've probably lost most readers by now and I don't want to make this any longer than I have. If you made it this far, thank you for reading!  You can follow my progress on Instagram: @jenn.kuhns or on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferKuhnsMosaicI'm even trying to do Twitter: @jkmosaic
I hope to see you at one of the upcoming events!

A little video plug about our Diversity Mural Project:

*One correction: We won't be installing on the wall of Luna Mosaic Arts. Cherie is working on securing the perfect wall; something prominently located, in the area, with the right structural integrity and size, and collaborating with a business that is excited about the project.