By Kate Reardon
Herald Writer
EVERETT – What’s more American than red, white and blue? How about a little green from the golf course.
Seattle artist Michael Dupille captures the spirit of golf and patriotism in his public artwork “Red, White, Blue and Greens” at the city’s Legion Memorial Golf Course.
The city will dedicate that piece, a flag plaza and a bronze plaque at a ceremony on Monday at the course. The dedication will be the first permanent recognition of the American Legion’s donation 66 years ago of the property for the city’s first golf course.
“We really wanted to recognize the Legion for its donation,” said Ardell Brandenburg, culture and arts coordinator for the city of Everett.
The flag plaza includes an American flag, a city flag and a prisoner of war flag. The artwork and plaza cost about $15,000.
“I think it’s very significant because it’s finally recognizing what occurred 66 years ago,” said Don Giles, a member of American Legion Earl Faulkner Post. No. 6. Giles and fellow Legion members Brad Pilkington and Al Fredrickson worked with the city’s cultural commission on the dedication.
The ceremony will include remarks by Mayor Ed Hansen, artist Dupille and Terry Hann of the American Legion. The Snohomish High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC will raise the flags.
A remodeling of Legion Memorial Golf Course in 1998 changed more than 50 percent of the holes on the course. Each hole now has five tees. The golf course is owned by the city but managed by Golf Resources Northwest. Changes were also made to the golf course cart storage shed.
Dupille’s artwork, now in the golf course clubhouse, is composed of fused glass tiles and brushed aluminum.
“One of the tricks of this project is that it’s unusual because you can walk underneath it,” the 45-year-old artist said. “When the late afternoon sun comes through the front side of the murals, the images in the back are illuminated.”
For the art, Dupille used a technique that very few artists work with. He used crushed glass to give his 7-foot-tall, 16-foot-wide piece unusual depth and color. Fusing glass as an art actually comes from ancient Egypt, he said. Over the years, the technique slowly died but has been making a comeback, he added.
“You’re starting to see more and more of it,” he said.
Dupille has also worked on public art displays in Tacoma and Portland, Ore.
You can call Herald Writer Kate Reardon at 425-339-3455 or send e-mail to reardon@heraldnet.com.
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