Perch

Description: Twelve fused glass blocks honoring the black-capped chickadee, a delicate beautiful bird suited to an urban area, are embedded in the sidewalk. The blocks are installed in the sidewalk along 5th Avenue Northeast in front of the park.

Three birdhouses sculptures, colorful and functional housing for the black-capped chickadee, are mounted on steel-curved engineered poles, located in the wooded area along 105th Street NE.  

Two tree trunk sculptures serve as benches placed along the wooded path and encourage people to rest, congregate with friends and enjoy the reclaimed area near the bird houses. The sculptural forms are made of hammered copper and shaped from actual tree trunks. An engraved Northgate image of the wild cranberry is etched into the granite slab.

Artist Statement: Perch is an art installation created specifically for the Northgate community. It is not a single sculptural object but a group of art elements that are meant to integrate into the landscape and help draw attention to this unique place. 

Perch aims to celebrate both the vital energy of the city and a connection to nature. It addresses the tightly intertwined relationship between human patterns and the contours of the natural environment by focusing on the black-capped chickadee. This lively little bird is a hardy urban resident who is a symbol of mutual adaptation.

Location: 5th Avenue Northeast between Northeast 105th Street & Northeast Northgate Way, Seattle WA  98125