Ken Davidson, developer of the Kirkland Gateway Project, signed an agreement donating Julie Speidel’s “Patination” to the city of Kirkland on Jan. 7. The sculpture occupies the corner of Northeast 85th Street and Kirkland Way on city-owned property. The sculpture has been displayed by the city on a long-term loan basis since the year 2000.

In 2000 when the Kirkland Gateway Building was under development the property owners realized their location is a “gateway” to the city and wanted to acknowledge this with a significant work of art.

“We knew Julie Speidel and her work and thought a sculpture by her would be an excellent addition to Kirkland’s public art scene,” Davidson said. “We commissioned her to create a work especially for this gateway into Kirkland. ‘Patination’ exceeded our expectations and we are pleased to make it a permanent part of Kirkland’s art collection.”

Speidel is a renowned Northwest artist whose public art resume includes installations for the Tacoma Art Museum, Swedish Hospital, Arizona State University, Meydenbauer Performing Arts Center and the University of Washington. Her art is recognizable by her use of local natural materials and totemic forms that express spiritual or mysterious qualities.

“Patination was designed as a portal, a gateway piece to welcome visitors to the city of Kirkland. This is my interpretation of an arch fragment sharing the sense of a tree trunk with abbreviated branching,” Speidel said. “The design is ambiguous but simple and grounded in nature. The interrelationship of scale reflects the large scale of the trees, the human scale and a smaller scale inviting one to sit and interact with the sculpture.”

The sculpture is made of structural bronze and consists of three sections on a 10-foot by 10-foot pedestal and is approximately eight feet tall.

The Cultural Arts Commission reviews city of Kirkland public art acquisitions and unanimously approved the recommendation to permanently acquire the sculpture.

“We are delighted to permanently add this incredible piece to the city of Kirkland’s growing public art collection,” said Cultural Arts Commission Chair Melissa Nelson.