Stained glass brightens school

  • By Debra Smith / Herald Writer
  • Thursday, August 26, 2004 9:00pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

Two stained glass murals the size of billboards will bring vibrant color to Arlington High School beginning this year.

Designed by Camano Island artist Jack Archibald, the work, “Bridge,” juxtaposes complex geometric and organic designs reminiscent of bridges – literal and metaphorical.

“The idea is (the art) is a passageway,” Archibald said.

The two 30-by-15 foot murals are in a hallway window leading to the commons area of the school and underneath a bridge.

The artist incorporated features important to Arlington and the surrounding area including bridges, rivers, dikes and aqueducts.

At a deeper level, the work suggests images of transition: from adolescence to adulthood, from a machine-driven era to a digital one. Archibald imbeds images of society’s evolution from an industrial age to a technological one with digital highways, circuitry and information webs.

“I don’t want to be too metaphorical with this. It’s Rorschach,” said Archibald, who compares the viewer’s ability to interpret this piece in any number of ways to the abstract inkblots used in psychology. “It’s up to them to come up with the interpretation.”

While the first panels of glass were being installed, students would ask Archibald about the piece’s meaning. “I’d say, ‘What do you think it means?’ Some saw a time tunnel, others saw something circular you step through.

“Whether it’s kids or adults, their interpretation is as valuable as mine.”

The first mural was installed this month, the other half should be completed in the next several months.

Archibald spent several months designing the piece. Glass fabricators from The Glass Cottage in Arlington created the stained glass pieces based on the artist’s design. The mural uses mouth-blown antique glass and contains nearly 1,000 glass bevels, which maximize outside light.

The state paid for the $60,000 project as part of the Art in Public Places program. The money comes from the state’s capital construction budget. Half of 1 percent of construction budgets for state-owned buildings goes toward art.

An Arlington High School committee chose Archibald from a pool of about 800 Washington artists.

“The artwork brings color, vibrancy and life” to a building with an institutional feel, he said.

Taking on a public art project comes with responsibility, Archibald said. “You would like to think you’re beautifying the place, but if you screw up, you’ve put a black eye on the public art project.”

Archibald, who has a private studio on Camano Island, began creating stained glass in the late 1970s. He’s completed other large-scale projects nationally and locally, including the clockworks at the Everett Transit Station.

Glass fabricator Bill Kueny installs glass panels for artist Jack Archibald’s “Bridge” at Arlington High School.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Everett P. Fog, 15, in front of an Everett mural along Colby Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Hello, Everett! No escape when your name is same as the town

Everett P. Fog, 15, sees and hears his first name wherever he goes. His middle name is also epic.

2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek edition (Provided by Nissan).
2025 Nissan Rogue has new Rock Creek edition

Enhanced outdoor capability is a boon for the more adventurous.

Futuristic Kona Limited Photo Provided By Hyundai Newsroom.
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited SUV Gets Roomier

All-Wheel Drive Option Add To All Trims

Children play and look up at a large whale figure hanging from the ceiling at the Imagine Children’s Museum (Olivia Vanni / The herald)
Fun for all ages: The best places for family adventures

From thrilling activities to relaxing outings, here’s where to make unforgettable family memories!

Jared Meads takes a breath after dunking in an ice bath in his back yard while his son Fallen, 5, reads off the water temperature on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Chill out: Dive into the cold plunge craze

Plungers say they get mental clarity and relief for ails in icy water in tubs, troughs and clubs.

Schack exhibit to highlight Camano Island watercolorists

“Four Decades of Friendship: John Ebner & John Ringen” will be on display Jan. 16 through Feb. 9.

XRT Trim Adds Rugged Features Designed For Light Off-Roading
Hyundai Introduces Smarter, More Capable Tucson Compact SUV For 2025

Innovative New Convenience And Safety Features Add Value

Sequoia photo provided by Toyota USA Newsroom
If Big Is Better, 2024 Toyota Sequoia Is Best

4WD Pro Hybrid With 3-Rows Elevates Full-Size

2025 Toyota Land Cruiser (Provided by Toyota).
2025 Toyota Land Cruiser revives its roots

After a 3-year hiatus, the go-anywhere SUV returns with a more adventurous vibe.

Enjoy the wilderness in the CX-50. Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda CX-50 Adds Hybrid Capability to Turbo Options

Line-Up Receives More Robust List Of Standard Equipment

Practical And Functional bZ4X basks in sunshine. Photo provided by Toyota Newsroom.
2024 bZ4X Puts Toyota Twist On All-Electric SUV’s

Modern Styling, Tech & All-Wheel Drive Highlight

Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus Hatch Delivers Value

Plus Functionality of AWD And G-Vectoring

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.