Sneak peek at ‘Year of the Seal’ sculpture; May 13th meeting

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The image is courtesy of Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey, who has an update on the sculpture in the works for their “Year of the Seal” project (first announced in January) – and your chance to come to a meeting about it on May 13th:

Seal Sitters’ educational outreach project Year of the Seal, made possible by a Seattle Department of Neighborhoods grant, is making great strides. Following a public Call to Artists and Selection Panel review, prominent Northwest bronze artist Georgia Gerber was chosen to create a full-scale sculpture of a harbor seal mom and pup. Georgia is shown here at work on the centerpiece of the project, which is designed to raise awareness about our fragile marine ecosystem.

Harbor seals, year-round residents of Puget Sound, are considered by biologists to be sentinels for the health of our waters. If our water is polluted, so is our marine life, including the fish we eat. The harbor seals of South Puget Sound (including the seal pups of West Seattle) and our resident orcas are highly contaminated with toxins. Litter, storm runoff (pesticides, fertilizers, auto oil, etc), flame retardants and derelict fishing gear in our waters pose grave dangers to all marine life.

Seal Sitters’ volunteers are doing outreach to the public, educating about the impact that humans have on our waterways and the conscious decisions we can all make that have a positive impact. We are talking to school kids about Puget Sound marine life and empowering them with ways they can help.The sculpture, which will reside near the Alki Bathhouse, will serve to remind us not only to Share the Shore with wildlife, but to keep our waterways clean and safe for all life that depends on its health.

Please attend a community meeting on Monday, May 13th, from 7-8 pm (Alki Bathhouse). We will present the project and welcome input from the public at that time. Read more about Year of the Seal here on Seal Sitters’ website. Seal Sitters needs to fundraise additional monies for the installation phase of the project. If you would like to make a donation, please click here.

Rainier May 2, 2013 (11:25 am)

Very nice! Can’t wait to see it installed.

Mike May 2, 2013 (11:39 am)

That’s some nice sculpting talent!

sc May 2, 2013 (2:03 pm)

with metal theft happening hope these are bolted down really good. Remember they tried to take the metal bears at Brown Bear Car Wash?

Robin May 2, 2013 (3:06 pm)

Seal Sitters is thrilled that Georgia is creating this stunning sculpture. Among her more high visibility works in the Seattle area are Rachel the Market Pig and the Lowland Gorilla family at Woodland Park Zoo. She is a world-class artist – please make sure to visit her website. On Blubberblog, we will follow the progress of the artwork, including the bronze casting in her Whidbey Island foundry. As part of our outreach project to school children, there will be an art and essay contest. Stay tuned for details on that!