Mayor Birney's 2024 Redmond LIGHTS

  " YOUR PLACE IN THE MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE" 

Artist:  Karl Whiteside

(click picture to enlarge) 

Senior Center Art

 

Kae Bae, Chromatic Equilibrium 2016
Acrylic and Oil, 19x24, $300

SUSPENDED IN MOTION, Autumn Fall In Redmond, John Reinke

Credit/John Reinke 

On my way to the 90th Street Runoff Pond this afternoon, I spotted a small autumn leaf suspended in midair.  It was dangling from a single spider strand.  In the background behind it you will see the Sammamish River Trail.  The river itself is flowing behind the wall of foliage alongside the trail.  Who knows, salmon may be migrating upstream as I took this picture.

-- John Reinke, Redmond photojournalist  

   10/13/2024

Redmond Natural Art

 

90th Street Run-off pond near the Sammamish River. 

Photo by John Reinke 

Redmond Senior & Community Center Hallway Art

 

Sudha Mishra 

Rocks Under Water 

acrylic 2024

$1775

"Erratic" and "Sky Painting" Art - Have You Seen It?

The Erratic outdoor artwork is located on Leary Avenue just south of the Matador.  When looking east you'll see it during the day.   Is it safe at night to walk through the Erratic to activate the colored lights? Have you ever seen the colored lights?  The City of Redmond says:  

"Five thousand years ago Redmond, Washington, was buried under 3,000 feet of ice. Today we rarely if ever, see large boulders—glacial erratics—that were left in the wake of the retreating ice.  On the new Redmond Central Connector park, the city built their own erratic in the form of historical art.  

When the BNSF Railroad left Redmond, it left behind miles of rails, mounting plates, and spikes.  3,000 steel plates were salvaged from the BNSF Railroad that once crossed the site; these form the cladding for the Erratic‘s skin. Motion detectors inside the glass fronts activate colored LED lights, delighting passersby with an interactive experience."  

The Erratic was created by artist John Fleming,  It was commissioned in 2013 for the Redmond Central Connector in celebration of Redmond’s Centennial.  Mr. Flemming also painted SKY PAINTING on a large downtown parking lot (you got to see it to believe it.) He installed railroad "Signals" art in the downtown Linear Park.  

Seven years after the Erratic was installed (2013) it had to be moved because Sound Transit's new downtown Light rail station needed the site.  Sound Transit paid a fixed amount and the city picked up the remainder totaling ~ $1,000,000.    Watch this 2-minute construction video and you'll see why the relocation was so expensive. 

Posted by Bob Yoder, 8/31/2024

Find an archive of Erratic articles and opinions here, including a "Letter To The Editor." 

Critical Area Ordinance, Public Hearing

 Great Blue Heron 
"Species of Local Importance"  
Sammamish River, Redmond, WA.   

Hello Planning Commissioners:

"I only caught part of your meeting last night, but it sounds like the State is requiring updates to the Critical Area Ordinance? 

As a college educated biologist -- similar to Mayor Angela Birney -- Critical Areas are important to me.   In the Ives Administration, I made "Species of Local Importance" and "Habitat of Local Importance" comments to the Planning Commission chaired by Mr. Snodgrass.  After much discussion, the commission decided on the Great Blue Heron (GBH) and Riparian habitat, in which it lives.   

Construction Art

"Construction Art installation" on Cleveland Street / B. Yoder

Puzzle:  What's inside?  😄

3/22/2024

Redmond Lights Holiday Haiku - Michael Dylan Welch

By Michael Dylan Welch:  Holiday Haiku features 30 haiku and senryu poems celebrating both the warmth and the cold of the holiday and winter season. These poems offer reminders of common experiences you may have had in December or later during the winter. Take a moment to dwell in each poem and feel the personal moment presented in the poem, responding with a smile or a nod of understanding.  

Michael Dylan Welch was Redmond's Poet Laureate for two years.   

Learn about Redmond Lights art.  https://www.redmond.gov/1320/Learn-about-Redmond-Lights-Art

Source:  redmond.gov

Spectacular "Spectra at Marymoor" Apartments

OneRedmond, Redmond's Chamber of Commerce (and more,) recently organized a tour of  "Spectra at Marymoor" -- spectacular, innovative 450 apartment homes with amenities galore.  Spectra is only a short walk to Marymoor Park and light rail.  V.P. Brad Machat of Quarterra was our fantastic tour guide.  He shared the scissors with Mayor Birney at the ribbon cutting ceremony.  A few tour stops:  

click photo to enlarge

Phenix Salon Suites will open early 2024. Very exciting!  Much more news will come about this exciting business and two others.  Note the metallic balcony art!  

click photo to enlarge

This colorful building art was hand painted. Note the ring of evergreens!  The East Lake Sammamish Trail runs right by.  Popular community garden "pea patches" are on a wait list!  

click photo to enlarge

Spacious outdoor lounge, with full kitchen, outdoor chess, diverse art 

and roof greenery delivers tons of natural light. 

click photo to enlarge

Here's Mayor Birney relaxing by the novel green roof.

Garage art adds to the eclecticism of Spectra,

 the myriad of chairs and indoor art.  

Photos and post by Bob Yoder, 10/12/2023

Tendril Pat Receives Humanities Washington Award.

Tendril Pat

"Tonight I received the 2023 Humanities Washington Award, the Highest Award in Washington state for Public Humanities . This award recognizes my contributions over the years to Living traditional Arts and folk life in the state of Washington.

It also recognizes my role in the formation and growth of the Center For Washington's Cultural Traditions/ CWCT ! I am immensely honored and deeply gratified to receive this award ! My eternal gratitude goes to Humanities Washington for conferring the Highest Humanities award in the State on me."

Tendril Pat

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Mayor Birney's Story: "Bike Days in Redmond"

This story is a little dated but it's interesting and fun.  The pixilated pedestrian 

and bike bridge is shown with the Mayor highlighting it's art. Cool....

Downtown Park Art

 

Rainbow asphalt art by Jing Jing Wang

This art is a crosswalk too.  

Redmond Rainbow Crosswalk

Beautiful art!  But don't stare down at it when you're in the crosswalk.  
Drivers may get distracted and not recognize it's a crosswalk. 

The Public Works Director was there.  He said they bought a thermo-applicator machine to paint this crosswalk and will use it for painting other asphalt art.  NAMI Eastside mental health art near the Together Center would be another good candidate!  Don't you think? 

Eastside LBGTQIA artists"

- photo and comment by Yoder, 9/2/2023

Redmond Town Center's Heron Art

click pictures to enlarge

 

It's all a matter of perspective and taste. By night Fairbourne's RTC art installation draws you towards an amenity of the Center; its proximity to Bear Creek.  But in daylight, what's it trying to convey?  

(After dinner, our waitress at BJ's took our picture!) 

Nature Beckons With a Double Rainbow and Hail Shower

 

This double rainbow photograph was taken by a friend on Sunday at Cottage Lake and confirmed by my next door neighbor.  On the same day we experienced ~ 20 minute hail shower.  It came out of the blue!

Photographs by Jonathan Morrison, 3/30/2023 

Past Water Tender Volunteer

EVENT: "APex Artist Reception" at Victor's this Sunday, March 5th, 2:30-4:30

 

Marco Coady's "APex Art Corner" at Victor's 
(click picture to enlarge it)

Victors Celtic Coffee in the historic district of downtown Redmond, will be hosting a reception for Smita Yamala, "APex Artist of the Month." this Sunday, March 5th, from 2:30 - 4:30.  The "APex  Student of Month " will also be present!

Smita's artwork, "The Happy Soul," will be installed in the APex & Marco's Corner of Victor's from February 26th to March 26th.  Parking is scarce so walking is encouraged. 

Marco Peers Coady is the founder of "Artists Personal Exchange" (APex) and coins his business as 'a place for artists to meet, connect and share their work.'   

-- Bob Yoder, 3/2/23

    Photo,  by

UPDATED OPINION, 2/23/23: Redmond Town Center's New Owner Proposes Amendments Allowing 12-Story Buildings

Imagining a new town center

OPINION:  It's all so confusing and I'm still unclear.  The new owner of Redmond Town Center, Fairbourne Properties, is proposing "zone text amendments" that would allow two 12-story buildings on his property in exchange for "public benefits" such as, affordable housing, environmental stewardship, and business diversity (eg. retail retail, retail; restaurants, entrepreneurs, recreation, small business, commercial,   The benefits are vague and Council is working to clarify them.

A partial summary of the proposed amendments appear as follows:

1) Increase maximum height to 12-stories through an incentive program of 3 extra levels for above grade parking per building, electric bike space and decent pedestrian lighting.   

2) One amendment involves the owner offering "exceptional amenities" for additional height.  I crave colorful, covered plazas and courtyards, eclectic and cultural artworks, sustainable-public-rooftop-patios-with-pristine-views, public spaces for daycare and pets, and above all else, well lit performing arts spaces welcoming and entertaining all, including commercial and retail employees.  Pickleball is a craze and rooftop courts to activate the Center are being looked at.

3) It's my understanding, the final amendment, if passed, could expand "Town Center Mixed Use" into certain parcels along Bear Creek Parkway; serviced by an office gateway.  The expansion plan is unclear; and it may never happen.

-- Bob Yoder, Opinion, 1/30/2023, Updated 2/22/23, Resident of Redmond, WA.

SOURCES:  

Council "Planning and Public Works" Committee of the Whole memo, 1/3/2023, excerpted and edited.  Unfortunately, the city red-lined this memo. 

City Council memo, 1/17/2023 - discusses privately initiated text amendments.

FAIRBOURNE Properties (owner)

Hines, RTC owner's consultant and outreach arm.  (Patrick Woodruff is the Hines lead; he's local and enthusiastically seeking ALL opinions and feedback.) 

Engage with the community and the owner HERE)

Carol Helland, Director of Planning and Community Development.  (Ask for Ms. Helland's contact information at info@redmond.gov or Mayor@redmond.gov)

Arnold Tomac, Past President Redmond City Council, a Town Center founder, and co-founder of the Ped/Bike Advisory Committee.  Arnie's BIO.  

-- Bob Yoder, 2/23/23

"Redmond Lights" Redux

Pam and Zo at popular art installation
(click pic to find Zo)

It was a blustery, cold and very rainy night but we went Redmond Lights anyway. A friend was working a booth and asked me to come. Pam and Zo tagged along too but they were not a happy puppies.

There wasn't much new:  Same five light installations.  Relatively scant residents, and fun music on the pavillion.  Unfortunately, food trucks don't have much room for parking at the downtown park.  We did see an espresso wagon and ice-cream van.  Sounds silly, but the colorful restroom lights fit in well with the show.  

-- Bob Yoder, 12/10/2022, opinion 

Awesome Art Planned For Redmond Lights, "Luminary Walk" Goes by the Wayside

Michael Dylan Welch was a Redmond Poet In Residence

"Thank you for your inquiry on Redmond Lights. This year’s Redmond Lights will consist of a month-long celebration of light and art in Redmond’s Downtown Park from December 1 – January 4. Enjoy art and light installations every night from 5 – 11 p.m. and Friday night celebrations Dec. 2, 9, 16 from 6 – 9 p.m. This does not include a luminary walk like past Redmond Light Celebrations. For more information on Redmond Lights art installations and Friday night celebrations, please visit Redmond Lights | Redmond, WA."

-- Redmond Customer Service, 12/2/2022

Comment/ Bob Yoder:

Judging by the site map it appears all the outdoor art is installed in the Downtown park.  Find descriptions of the art elsewhere on the site or probably by QR code.  

The Luminary Walk first started under Mayor Rosemarie Ive's Administration decades ago.  I'm assuming the Walk was cancelled owing to Senior and Community Center construction.  

-- posted by B. Yoder