Public art abounds on Beacon Hill

Our first annual “Top of the Hill” survey is still open for a while yet, and we’re not releasing results until it closes, but there has been one fairly frequent answer that I’ve noticed. One of the questions is “What is your favorite public art on Beacon Hill?” and while most people do have a favorite, there has been a surprisingly large number of people who say they don’t know of any public art up here. While we may not have as much obvious public art as some neighborhoods, we do have a fair amount. (The number probably doubled with this year’s addition of the Link station and its multiple artworks.) Here’s a collection of images of some of the art we all enjoy on Beacon Hill.

Many of these photos are from the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr. Have any photos you’d like to share? You are welcome to contribute them to the pool.

The mural on the side of Kusina Filipina. Photo by l0st2.
The mural on the side of Kusina Filipina. Photo by l0st2.
Mosaic in Dr. Jose Rizal Park. Photo by Seattle Daily Photo.
Mosaic in Dr. Jose Rizal Park. Photo by Seattle Daily Photo.
In front of the light rail station. Photo by l0st2.
In front of the light rail station. Photo by l0st2.
One of the creatures inside the Beacon Hill Link station. Photo by Wendi.
One of the "creatures" inside the Beacon Hill Link station. Photo by Wendi.

Haiku stone outside Beacon Hill Library. Photo by Wendi.
Haiku stone outside Beacon Hill Library. Photo by Wendi.
Korean pagoda in Daejeon Park. Photo by Keith D. Tyler.
Korean pagoda in Daejeon Park. Photo by Keith D. Tyler.
Sculpture atop the Beacon Hill Library. Photo by Wendi.
Sculpture atop the Beacon Hill Library. Photo by Wendi.
Close-up of the Equality sculpture in Sturgus Park. Photo by Seattle Daily Photo.
Close-up of the "Equality" sculpture in Sturgus Park. Photo by Seattle Daily Photo.
Another light rail creature. Photo by Bridget Christian.
Another light rail creature. Photo by Bridget Christian.
On the side of the Link station. Photo by Wendi.
On the side of the Link station. Photo by Wendi.
The Beacon Bluff P-Patch is colorfully painted. Photo by melissajonas.
The Beacon Bluff P-Patch is colorfully painted. Photo by melissajonas.
The new bus stops in front of the light rail station feature cut metal artwork. Photo by Wendi.
The new bus stops in front of the light rail station feature cut metal artwork. Photo by Wendi.

And, last but not least… one piece of public art we don’t miss (not because of the artwork itself, which is a perfectly nice mural of Beacon Avenue, but because of its context):

Mural that was on the blue wall around the light rail station site for about 5 years. Photo by melissajonas.
Mural that was on the blue wall around the light rail station site for about 5 years. Photo by melissajonas.

9 thoughts on “Public art abounds on Beacon Hill”

  1. I’m actually amazed about how much public art is up here. I’ve been thinking about putting together an online collection somehow but I have not figured out a great way to put it together yet. I think that if you were to see it all listed you would be surprised about just how much we have. These photos just scratch the surface.

  2. Yep — I had a bunch more photos I didn’t include because I didn’t want to make the post huger. However, I think there is some by Jefferson Park that I didn’t have any photos of.

    If there is a place that could use some art, it’s Viewpoint Park. There is nothing there but a sort of bleak empty lot. Of course, that site is about the view, but still…

    And I would like to see an artwork here that includes a beacon. Something like the Millennium Beacons they did in the UK a few years ago: http://www.millennium.gov.uk/cgi-site/awards.cgi?action=detail&id=361

    A beacon that would light up at night and serve as a local landmark and meeting place would be kind of cool.

  3. I appreciate your efforts but I would love to see something better developed. Not just photos but back story and information on the art. Something like a refrence style website with a broad understanding of public art and maybe even a generic public art tour of the hood.

    And yes, A beacon is needed. Seems kind of obvious, huh?

  4. Its one of my favorite parts of walking our dog all over the hill, finding new pieces of public art I haven’t seen before. Or reflecting on one of the pieces I’ve seen many times before (the equality sculpture always makes me think…and I’ve talked to more random folks walking by there about what they think it is than any other piece of public art I’ve ever been near)

  5. Joel, if you put together a website about Beacon Hill public art we will definitely link to it.

    Actually, I’d love to see a “walking tour of Beacon Avenue” sort of website in general, that points out interesting details, historic info, etc. Not that Beacon Ave. is all that exciting at the moment, but there are still a few things to notice, and there have been folks visiting the area because of light rail and then wondering what to see or do up here.

    Unfortunately, I don’t have time at the moment to build such a site.

  6. Why not? I’m a glutton for punishment. I think that I can at least get something started. Let me think about it…

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