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ENLARGE
This kinetic sculpture by Washington artist Anthony Howe attracts a lot of attention from people passing by the Roseburg Public Safety Center.
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ENLARGE
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The new Roseburg Public Safety Center features this wall sculpture that pays tribute to local salmon runs. The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians donated $50,000 for this and other artwork enlivening the center.
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Just outside the Roseburg Public Safety Center stands something as shiny and pristine as the brand-new ladder firetruck inside.
When the wind picks up, the object comes alive. Rows of stainless steel, spoon-like parts set in circles spin around each other, emitting a subtle clinking noise and creating an intriguing attention-grabber near the center's main entrance on Douglas Avenue.
The kinetic sculpture, titled “In-Out Quotient” and made by Northwest artist Anthony Howe, is one of two works of art paid for by the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians that graces the new building downtown.
Creative Images, a Roseburg design house and printing company owned by the tribe, took input from city representatives and designed the salmon that swim across a wall of one of the center's buildings facing Southeast Stephens Street.
“We just wanted something modern,” said Sande Dixon, client services director with Creative Images. She said the company became acquainted with Washington resident Howe and his work through a relative of its general manager. But going modern was taking a chance, she said.
“It's risky because you don't know how people would receive it.”
The gamble was worth it, said Jim Marciariello, project manager for the center.
“Tons of people just stop and look at (the kinetic sculpture) and take pictures,” he said “We have not heard one negative comment.”
He added that with the $50,000 donated by the Cow Creek tribe for beautifying the new center, the city was also able to improve the appearance of the entrance area surrounding the sculpture. The colored concrete has metal words such as “integrity” and “trust” embedded into the ground.
Wayne Shammel, a tribal attorney for the Cow Creeks, said the donation was part of the tribe's Community Economic Development Area Revitalization program. That fund is separate from the Cow Creek Indian Foundation and helps out local communities with beautification projects.
“It's beautification, but it's really about completing this properly for the city — something to be proud of in the middle of town,” Shammel said.
A committee made up of the Roseburg fire chief, police chief, city manager and Creative Images representatives approved the artwork and the final design for the wall sculpture titled “Rapid Ascension.” Gary Gukeisen, creative director at Creative Images and designer of “Rapid Ascension,” said the company and the city of Roseburg considered various options for artwork at the safety center. They considered doing a much more traditional bronze sculpture of a firefighter, for example, but Creative Images decided to go in another direction.
“We thought it would be nice to bring a contemporary modern touch to the city,” he said. “Given the opportunity, we opted to do something new for the city.”
For his piece, which covers one wall of the garage for extra firetrucks not regularly used by Roseburg firefighters, he came up with seven or eight different designs, including abstract ones. He presented them to the committee, which ultimately decided on the fish design, a tribute to nearby salmon runs.
Once Creative Images representatives knew they wanted a kinetic sculpture from Howe, he was able to custom build a sculpture according to the specific dimensions, Dixon said.
Howe said he worked with city engineers to make sure the sculpture was safe. He said they told him it could withstand winds up to 90 mph.
“It's made up of a lot of small pieces that all absorb the energy of a strong wind,” he said.
Milder wind, as is found in Roseburg, is great for such sculptures, he said.
“It doesn't take much wind,” he said. “It's very efficient.”
It usually takes him about three months to complete a sculpture such as the one at the center. Howe said he spends the most time figuring out how to make sure all individual pieces don't collide or catch on each other. It's simply a process of trial and error, he said.
Roseburg isn't the first city to purchase one of his pieces. Howe has sculptures in Bellingham, Wash., several in Seattle, one in Tucson, Ariz., and even one in Dubai.
“I make things that spin in the wind and I try to make them as interesting as possible,” he said.
“My intent is more or less to make something interesting to look at.”
• You can reach reporter Inka Bajandas at 957-4202 or by e-mail at ibajandas@nrtoday.com.
When the wind picks up, the object comes alive. Rows of stainless steel, spoon-like parts set in circles spin around each other, emitting a subtle clinking noise and creating an intriguing attention-grabber near the center's main entrance on Douglas Avenue.
The kinetic sculpture, titled “In-Out Quotient” and made by Northwest artist Anthony Howe, is one of two works of art paid for by the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians that graces the new building downtown.
Creative Images, a Roseburg design house and printing company owned by the tribe, took input from city representatives and designed the salmon that swim across a wall of one of the center's buildings facing Southeast Stephens Street.
“We just wanted something modern,” said Sande Dixon, client services director with Creative Images. She said the company became acquainted with Washington resident Howe and his work through a relative of its general manager. But going modern was taking a chance, she said.
“It's risky because you don't know how people would receive it.”
The gamble was worth it, said Jim Marciariello, project manager for the center.
“Tons of people just stop and look at (the kinetic sculpture) and take pictures,” he said “We have not heard one negative comment.”
He added that with the $50,000 donated by the Cow Creek tribe for beautifying the new center, the city was also able to improve the appearance of the entrance area surrounding the sculpture. The colored concrete has metal words such as “integrity” and “trust” embedded into the ground.
Wayne Shammel, a tribal attorney for the Cow Creeks, said the donation was part of the tribe's Community Economic Development Area Revitalization program. That fund is separate from the Cow Creek Indian Foundation and helps out local communities with beautification projects.
“It's beautification, but it's really about completing this properly for the city — something to be proud of in the middle of town,” Shammel said.
A committee made up of the Roseburg fire chief, police chief, city manager and Creative Images representatives approved the artwork and the final design for the wall sculpture titled “Rapid Ascension.” Gary Gukeisen, creative director at Creative Images and designer of “Rapid Ascension,” said the company and the city of Roseburg considered various options for artwork at the safety center. They considered doing a much more traditional bronze sculpture of a firefighter, for example, but Creative Images decided to go in another direction.
“We thought it would be nice to bring a contemporary modern touch to the city,” he said. “Given the opportunity, we opted to do something new for the city.”
For his piece, which covers one wall of the garage for extra firetrucks not regularly used by Roseburg firefighters, he came up with seven or eight different designs, including abstract ones. He presented them to the committee, which ultimately decided on the fish design, a tribute to nearby salmon runs.
Once Creative Images representatives knew they wanted a kinetic sculpture from Howe, he was able to custom build a sculpture according to the specific dimensions, Dixon said.
Howe said he worked with city engineers to make sure the sculpture was safe. He said they told him it could withstand winds up to 90 mph.
“It's made up of a lot of small pieces that all absorb the energy of a strong wind,” he said.
Milder wind, as is found in Roseburg, is great for such sculptures, he said.
“It doesn't take much wind,” he said. “It's very efficient.”
It usually takes him about three months to complete a sculpture such as the one at the center. Howe said he spends the most time figuring out how to make sure all individual pieces don't collide or catch on each other. It's simply a process of trial and error, he said.
Roseburg isn't the first city to purchase one of his pieces. Howe has sculptures in Bellingham, Wash., several in Seattle, one in Tucson, Ariz., and even one in Dubai.
“I make things that spin in the wind and I try to make them as interesting as possible,” he said.
“My intent is more or less to make something interesting to look at.”
• You can reach reporter Inka Bajandas at 957-4202 or by e-mail at ibajandas@nrtoday.com.
