News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
New Superintendent Paul Turner looks over one of the six abstract paintings that have been installed in Lake Roosevelt Schools. This one, showing two swans, is located in the stairwell on the elementary side of the school building. The abstract paintings are part of the Washington State Arts Commission efforts to provide approved art for the new building. Portland artist Lucinda Parker created the six works of art. – Roger S. Lucas photo
When students return to school this fall they will see six huge abstract paintings hanging in their school.
The paintings, by Portland artist Lucinda Parker, feature two birds or fish in an abstract setting, with sayings painted on the frames.
It will be a lesson, of sorts, to not only enjoy the painting but to understand and develop the meaning of the paintings.
Two paintings are located in each of the two cafeterias, and one in each of the landings of the two stairwells that serve the upper floor.
The paintings and sayings are:
• Two Owls - You can observe a lot by watching. Yogi Berra, and I rejoice that there are owls. Henry David Thoreau.
• Two Magpies - Who are we to feel so free? anonymous, and Bad magpies dance a spat against the sky. L. Parker.
• Two Swans - If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. African proverb, and If a swan can swim a person can live. Mariah Boyd.
• Two Terns - Whatever harms the earth, harms me, harms its children. Chief Seattle, and Sharp terns far from home split the air. L. Parker.
• Duck and Fish My only drink is meaning from the deep brain, what the birds and the grass & the stones drink. Seamus Heaney, and With all its eyes, the natural world looks out into the open. Rilke.
• Two Turkeys - The eyes of the turkey are such that he can see a bumblebee do a somersault on the verge of the horizon. Rutledge, and I had to discipline myself, no one else could do it for me. Horace Axtel.
Painter Parker stated that the texts were carefully chosen to give students something to read worth pondering over.
Over the years, students will think differently about these words, Palmer said.
The six 5x9-foot paintings were hung by a professional crew from Portland, Tuesday, June 21.
The paintings were part of a Washington Arts Commission project to provide some $70,000 of art for the public school building.
I chose to paint pairs of birds and one lone fish in a matrix of water and sky, clouds and basalt escarpment, suns and moon, Parker stated. The choice of which birds to paint was for love of the shapes and colors they display against my cubist clouds, water and cliffs, and in admiration for their iconic presence in our world. How lucky we are to have owls, swans, terns, turkeys, magpies and ducks and fish to look at.
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