VOTE! See the contenders in West Seattle Bridge T-shirt contest

(SDOT image: Crews on the bridge today)

From the “if you don’t laugh about it, you’ll cry” department … Yes, we’re semi-stuck on West Seattle Island, but every so often, you can’t help but see a little humor in it – evidenced by the stickers and yard signs that have popped up. Today, here’s one of those chances to do more than despair: Your chance to vote in the T-shirt design contest presented by the West Seattle Art Walk and WS Junction Association. As featured here previously, they put out a call for designs – and now more than 70 entries are ready for your consideration! You can see them all here, and vote for your five favorites, before the end of the month. The top three vote-getting designs will be produced as T-shirts and sold locally.

49 Replies to "VOTE! See the contenders in West Seattle Bridge T-shirt contest"

  • helpermonkey July 9, 2020 (11:11 am)

    OMG I can’t choose! they’re all great. 

  • Screaming July 9, 2020 (11:16 am)

    The “The Scream”-inspired design legitimately made me laugh out loud. So many creative designs! I can’t wait to see which end up on shirts. 

    • Jackie C July 9, 2020 (12:03 pm)

      Hooray, that’s mine! I giggled like a mad woman when I finally put the face (saved it for last) on; I’m happy to hear it made someone else laugh, too!

      • MercyMoi July 9, 2020 (1:44 pm)

        It got one of my votes because it is such a time capsule image of how I feel! 

      • JenH July 10, 2020 (9:53 am)

        I thought the only thing to add to the Scream T-shirt is putting in the new drop in speed limit sign.  Going 25MPH is making me want to scream.  The Scream T-shirt was my first choice.  Loved it!  

    • Also John July 9, 2020 (2:11 pm)

      Me too…..   I laughed at The Scream.  Very creative.  Its going to be difficult to pick five.

  • Mark July 9, 2020 (11:40 am)

    So many great designs here! Not sure what “Put your mask on Karen” specifically has to do with West Seattle or the bridge, but I guess it wouldn’t be 2020 without some anti-Karen sentiment thrown in.

  • Cycleman July 9, 2020 (12:04 pm)

    I would wear anyone of them except for the Karen one. Great job artists!!! 

    • Kevin July 9, 2020 (2:33 pm)

      Would you like to speak to the manager of the person who drew the Karen one?

      • MercyMoi July 9, 2020 (3:29 pm)

        LOL

      • Lina July 9, 2020 (6:38 pm)

        Nailed it!  Lol

      • Nik July 10, 2020 (8:05 am)

        Yaaaasssss!!! 😂 😂 😂 

  • JandJ July 9, 2020 (12:29 pm)

    TOO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM! Can we partner with a local screen printer and place orders for whatever designs people want? I’d legit purchase a bunch – at least 5 designs for myself, plus gifts. My husband is Scottish, so I’d need those for a bunch of his family.  And a few live in London, so need a few Mind the Gap T-s. The gag bridge, Triton, the octopus, Scream, heartbroken, Unbroken with all our fave businesses, they are all SO GREAT!! Thank you to each and every person that submitted a design. <3 :)

  • Amokin July 9, 2020 (12:34 pm)

    They are all great designs but I am LOVING the Karen one!!! So funny!!! 

    • K July 9, 2020 (9:52 pm)

      I like it, but it seems so off topic. I don’t get it.

  • J July 9, 2020 (12:51 pm)

    Loved so many of the designs! I’m probably going to sound too sensitive, but I don’t want the “West Seattle Island” joke to stick. Calling it an island now that the West Seattle Bridge is out sort of implies that communities to the south which are still accessible are not relevent or that no one wants to go to them. I can still access White Center, Burien, South Park etc. from my South Delridge neighborhood using the same routes as before the bridge closed. The joke makes it seem like those places don’t exist. 

    • WSB July 9, 2020 (2:22 pm)

      Well, it also inaccurately implies there’s no way to cross the Duwamish, which is untrue, but I do think it’s really just meant as a joke, no slght to surrounding communities.

      • LyndaB July 9, 2020 (11:04 pm)

        Marination’s instagram linked another page “westseattleisland.co”
        Someone is already selling shirts. ☺

        • WSB July 9, 2020 (11:19 pm)

          Yeah, unrelated to this, though. And the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has bridge T-shirts. Growth industry, obv.

    • newnative July 9, 2020 (2:48 pm)

      I think the West Seattle Bridge has always symbolized the link to “the City”, aka downtown et al.  When I first moved here a friend teased me for not leaving West Seattle very often.  He made reference to this “magic bridge” that leads you to this “big city”! When I first read about the bridge being closed, I just kinda laughed for a while, not able to wrap my head around the concept. 

    • Peninsula July 9, 2020 (3:45 pm)

      I agree with J. It’s not an island at all so just sounds more complain-y re: the circumstances.

  • Sarah July 9, 2020 (1:06 pm)

    Can we order a printed shirt for those that didn’t win 

    • Andrea July 29, 2020 (11:06 am)

      I would like to order the ones I liked too. If you get an answer let us know.

  • Ellen July 9, 2020 (1:08 pm)

    Welcome to East Vashon Island…I laughed out loud when I saw that! Love all of these!

    • wscommuter July 9, 2020 (3:32 pm)

      I have to say, E. Vashon was my fave out of many excellent ideas.  Mind the gap is also brilliant – we could sell those in London, where they’d appreciate the joke. 

  • ACG July 9, 2020 (1:19 pm)

    That was fun!  All of the designs were great- it was hard deciding on my top 5. Thanks to everyone who submitted the designs and the WSJA- I can’t wait to order some of the shirts!

  • Fred July 9, 2020 (1:28 pm)

    Layla gets my vote!  Im still laughingMeanwhile 16 weeks of limbo, inexcusable!  

  • lg July 9, 2020 (1:45 pm)

    I see a lot of T-shirt buying in my future! Thanks for the contest! And, designers, you are fabulous! Thanks for the laughs!

  • Marianne July 9, 2020 (1:45 pm)

    I suppose a “Karen” might feel the need to post negative remarks about the artists and their chosen designs.

    • Amokin July 10, 2020 (8:03 am)

      You got that right Marianne! 

  • beanie July 9, 2020 (2:30 pm)

    These are all so great!

  • WSMom July 9, 2020 (2:33 pm)

    I loved them all!

  • Also John July 9, 2020 (2:35 pm)

    Ly-Nguyen’s art work is beautiful.  It reminded me of the drawings in an old animated movie called Wizards from 1977.     

  • AN July 9, 2020 (2:50 pm)

    Bridge over tribal water……..instead of the island part say “how the west was won”I would vote for that

  • Robin July 9, 2020 (3:22 pm)

    Love it! As a local snarky artist, I wish I had known about this contest- if it was mentioned on WSB before, I must have missed it. 

    • WSB July 9, 2020 (8:13 pm)

      Yup, mid-June and a last call last week. Next time!

  • Gatewood resident July 9, 2020 (3:35 pm)

    Anyone else having trouble submitting the form?

    • Mok4315 July 9, 2020 (5:58 pm)

      I’m having trouble scrolling down on my iPhone. Finally submitted my votes, but have no idea if it went through…

    • Marty2 July 9, 2020 (6:40 pm)

      I had trouble when I selected send me a copy, after I unclicked that option I was able to submit my picks.

  • Carole July 9, 2020 (4:09 pm)

    Love the puzzle piece one.

  • Voter July 9, 2020 (4:15 pm)

    I know a lot of residents who referenced WS as an “island” before the bridge debacle.  Now even more so – I love it!Karen one is tired and we need to move on! Has nothing to do with the bridge or WS! 

  • Trickycoolj July 9, 2020 (4:54 pm)

    Some really cool stuff in there!  My Seattle Logo Pro West Seattle shirt from Summerfest is going to be extra vintage soon with the homage to the Sonics logo with the bridge in the background!  What other local small businesses have merch to buy?  I could use some refreshed t-shirts and would like to support our businesses (especially services) that are operating at reduced capacity/demand right now.  I’ve seen cool merch at Marination and Grillbird.  Anyone else?

    • Luvsseattle July 9, 2020 (7:50 pm)

      Dubsea, C&P, and Luna Park all come to mind as places I have seen lately. I love having a local WS wardrobe. Going to have to check out the Grillbird merch. Thanks for the info.

  • Beth July 9, 2020 (7:26 pm)

    OMGosh! These are so good. 💫…if I had to pick just one. 🤔 Can’t wait to see the t-shirt. They’re all winners. 

  • Kittritz July 9, 2020 (8:14 pm)

    I really like a number of these. Did no one think of West Sea Isle?

  • WSeattleite July 9, 2020 (10:56 pm)

    This makes me so angry that the Junction Arts Association sponsored this. they of all people should know better. design “contests” are unethical. no other industry does this. “Hey..make me 5 lattes, but i’m only going to pay for the one i like best.” lame. https://portland.aiga.org/design-contests-are-unethical/

  • Twicksea July 9, 2020 (11:16 pm)

    So many really great designs here–thanks and congrats to everyone who submitted. I had a very hard time just choosing five!

  • Wavy David July 9, 2020 (11:20 pm)

    Gag Bridge (It’s a crack up!) won for me. I like thinking of the bridge as an Archie McPhee practical joke product; it eases the pain…slightly. Speaking of practical jokes, did you hear they are going to explore toll options for bridge replacement? That’s right, “exploring” a West Seattle penalty tax for the city’s failure. Oh, the gags just keep coming! Ha. Ha. Ha.

  • Native July 10, 2020 (11:36 am)

    As a native West Satellite, 57 years, we have never been known as an Island. West Seattle has long been known as “The Rock”some of us have never left The Rock. 

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