20070120
The weather here for the last month or so has been frightful. Heavy rain, high winds and snow. On Friday, I returned from a full week away in Manhattan. The flight back was just as frightful as the weather, particularly my seat mate with the small personal odor problem. Oh, did I mention the snow in Newark that required deicing and an additional 2 hours of seat time to get back to Seattle? And the 30 minute taxi line at SeaTac? Well, now it does not matter since the events are past. We are members of the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and live next to the SAM Olympic Sculpture Park. The park opened today and was the result of over $85M of donations by private benefactors. The photos below are what we saw.
OSP consist of a nice building and the actual park grounds. Despite the fact that the building is poured concrete, it looks good. I am not sure if looks $85M good, but good nonetheless and something that Seattle citizens can be proud of.
As the sun rose the tugs were working hard escorting a lightly loaded container ship into port. This ship is undeveloped port capable as can be seen by the cranes on the hull. The ship can load and unload itself without benefit of port cranes.
This shot was taken from the apartment balcony BEFORE the big crowds showed up. It was solid people later in the day.
Here is a shot of the marquis sculpture called "The Eagle".
Soon after the opening, the Seattle Fire Department's fire boat the "Chief Seattle" showed up and fired up the big diesel pumps and put on a show for at least an hour. It made a great back drop for the opening.
When the fire boat showed up and started spraying, folks cheered loud enough that we could hear it in the apartment, so we put on the coats, grabbed the cameras and headed next door. Here Kathleen is holding my 1Ds with the lens that got me in trouble at the Mariners game.
Ducks fly through the spray of the fireboat. The sailboat came by to get a close look at activities.
This was a great gig for a wino. I have seen better looking folks sleeping in the doorways in Belltown.
This gal was supposed to be a jelly fish. She got lots of attention from the guys.
The Eagle and the Space Needle. The sculpture has already been "decorated" by the local sea gulls.
The park offers a good viewpoint for the Needle.
OSP is at the north end of Belltown and very close to the downtown center.
A view of the "Typewriter Eraser", named for obvious reasons. Real clear for those of us old enough to remember what a typewritter is (was).
The Eraser, the Eagle and the expensive bridge over Elliot Avenue.
A steel sculpture called "The Stinger".
From the bridge over Elliot Avenue, you get a clear view of the BNSF main line. Here a train prepares to head south.
OSP was a mad house. There were an estimated 20K folks that visited on Saturaday.
This one has a name, but I do not know what it is called. It moves in the wind.
"Father and Son" fountain.
OSP's stainless steel tree. And a nice blue sky which has been a rare item.
SAM did this one right -- there were many performing artists including this band.
A lot of folks brought their animals with them. Here, a young Weimaraner pup has that wide-eyed look that only puppies can have.
To amplify the sculpture theme, SAM hired a local ice artist to create an ice sculpture in real time for the crowd.
The nearly finished product. He did a great job.
The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is a very interesting place and well worth a visit. Since we live next to the SAM Olympic Sculpture Park, we have watched it being built. But, I am glad I am not an art critic. Some of the pieces they "commissioned" were, uh, odd to say the least. I will return to the park tomorrow and get a shot of each one and you can be the critic. It should be noted that OSP is open to the general public and it is free.