Whale sculpture unveiling is Feb. 19 at the EWC

Art Walk Edmonds will unveil a new sculpture by Ken Barnes, “Memories,” Feb. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Edmonds Waterfront Center.

Carved from a 3,000-pound block of granite and shaped into the form of a whale’s tail, Barnes created the piece in honor of his late wife, drawing inspiration from the waterfront – a place that held special meaning for both of them.

“After my wife passed, I found myself needing to make something,” Barnes said. “Adele loved strolling along cobbled beaches, looking out over the water for whales and anything else that might surface. Knowing this sculpture now lives by a waterfront like the ones she loved feels incredibly meaningful to me.”  

Accompanying the sculpture is a haiku Barnes wrote:

Breaching the surface
From the depths of my lifetime
Then slipping away

“Memories” has found a new home, at least temporarily, at the east entrance of the Waterfront Center.

The placement came together through a collaboration between Art Walk Edmonds and the EWC. Art Walk Edmonds board Member Lynn Hanson connected with the Waterfront Center’s Julaine Fleetwood while searching for a home for the Barnes’ piece. Fleetwood and Waterfront Center CEO Daniel Johnson envisioned the perfect location near the building’s east-facing doors.

“While the sculpture is technically on loan,” said Hanson, “we’re hoping it will grace the entrance of the Waterfront Center for many years to come.”

In addition to “Memories,” Art Walk Edmonds is currently working on several upcoming public art projects, including a utility box wrap near Highway 99 and a floral-themed mural in partnership with Edmonds in Bloom.

Funding for these projects comes primarily from the summer Wine Walks, hosted twice each year by Art Walk Edmonds. Additional support comes from individual donations, grants, and business sponsorships.

Anyone interested in donating to the Art Walk Edmonds can do so online at  www.artwalkedmonds.com/donate. Companies or entities interested in sponsoring new public art should contact Art Walk Edmonds at info@artwalkedmonds.com.

More information: Rachel Dobbins at 425-298-7947 or info@artwalkedmonds.com.