Art Around West Linn
This information was compiled by the West Linn Arts & Culture Commission.
| Artwork | Location | Notes / Background / History | Photo |
| "The Gathering" (seven forms of stoneware clay by Katy McFadden; 2002) | Front entrance and back patio of library | Artist website |  |
| Calligraphy (quotation from Naguib Mafouz's "Palace Walk" by Bettye Lou Bennet of Portland; 1991) | In lobby above door into library | Bettye Lou Bennett became known around PSU as "the University Calligrapher." She discovered the art of calligraphy in the mid-1960s as a student of Lloyd Reynolds, who taught calligraphy at the Museum Art School (now PNCA) and Reed College. Bennett is known to have said that her primary legacy in Portland is her teaching, that her own studio output and her teaching are inextricably intertwined. She is a dynamic advocate for excellence in drawing, lettering, and graphic design rooted in historical tradition. In most of her work, Bennett employs historical and original scripts to reveal the meaning of texts by virtue of the abstract rhythms letters create when drafted onto the page. |
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| Hanging steel installation (David Thompson of Portland; 2002) | Library foyer |  |
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| Circular mosaic titled "Find Yourself in a Book" (Mark Brody, 2004) | On the wall in the computer lab | Artist website |  |
| Untitled oil painting (Carolyn Dewey, 1970) | In the Trillium Room (behind computer lab) | Artist info |  |
| Centennial Quilt (citizens of West Linn, 2013) | Reading Room | 100 quilt squares contributed by community members in celebration of West Linn's 2013 centennial. |  |
| Two large oil paintings (Jack Portland, 1989) | Reading Room | Artist info |  |
| Untitled painting (Stephen Hayes, 1989) | Fireplace Room | Artist website |  |
| Wooden boat model (Friends of Maddax Woods) | Fireplace Room |  |
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| Ceramic totem poles (Kaaren Pixton & West Linn Community, 2001) | Top of outdoor stairs behind library | Artist obituary |  |
| Friends of the Library Quilt | Hanging on wall in AV Room |  |
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| Kinetic sculpture hanging from ceiling titled "Westwinds" (Elizabeth A. Busch, 2002) | Hanging from AV Room ceiling | Artist website |  |
| Two columns decorated with ceramic reliefs and animal silhouettes (Anne Storrs, 1991) | Kids' Room | Artist website |  |
| Metal sculpture titled "Creative Growth" (Jenny Ellsworth, 2014) | Lower level in the Teen Room | Artist website | |
| Series of paintings titled "No End" (Jennifer Cutshall, 2014) | Lower level in the Teen Room | Artist website |  |
| Peace pole bearing the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth" (Gifted by The Rotary Club of West Linn, 2023) | Outside in courtyard between library and parking lot | ||
| "Building Bridges" mural (2022) | Above Community Room doors in lobby | Cathy Rowe (Oregon City), Brian Krehbiel (Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde), and Carrie Gilbert (West Linn) created this three-part mural celebrating the Centennial Celebration of the Arch Bridge. |
| Artwork | Location | Notes / Background / History | Photo |
| "Heron" metal sculpture (Ben Dye, 2012) | Fields Bridge Park | Made possible through The City of West Linn's Percent for Art Policy & the Clackamas County Arts Alliance. |  |
| Motorcycle sculpture (Ben Dye, 2013) | Marylhurst Heights Park | Artist website |  |
| Apparatus for ... A Pulp Mill sculpture (John T. Davis, 2016) | Willamette Park | Historic paper mill grindstones incorporated in an original sculpture. The grindstones were donated by the West Linn Paper Co, There was a combination of City and donated money to pay for the sculpture |  |
| Fields Bridge House Outline | Fields Bridge Park (by the gardens) | Functional display representing the history of the old house sitting above Fields Bridge Park | |
| Meteorite Trail | Fields Bridge Park | Functional display that includes a scale model replica of the Willamette Meteorite | |
| Rock Fountain Spray Parks (Terraforma) | Hammerle Park & Robinwood Park | ||
| Dinosaur Fossil Metal Sculptures (Terraforma) | Marylhurst Heights Park | Parks & Rec contracted with an artist to create metal sculptures to replicate dinosaur fossils |  |
| Artwork | Location | Notes / Background / History | Photo |
| West Linn Gateway: "Welcome to West Linn" mural tile mosaic (Elizabeth Roccio, 1999) | Near Shell gas station at Hwy 43 & I-205 on/off ramps | The sign celebrates the beauty of the area and depicts a view of Mt. Hood as well as the Willamette River which flows along the east side of the city. It was created with sponsporship from the City, West Linn Vision Alliance, Chamber of Commerce and several other businesses, local donors and volunteers In the summer of 2018, the West Linn Rotary Club repaired the neglected sign, along with help from the City and the West Linn Lions Club. Local artist Minerva Park lead the effort to restore the mosaic. |  |
| 3 Children with Instruments sculptures (Mary Kirby, 2015) | Youth Music Project (on the corner of 10th St. & 8th Ave.) | Life-sized sculptures representing three children performing contemporary music with joy. The artist's website can be found here: https://www.marykirbyart.com. |  |
| Stained Glass Windows (David Schlicker, 2015) | Youth Music Project (8th Ave.) | One window displays an image of Jimi Hendrix playing a Flying V electric guitar, and another window displays an image of Aretha Franklin singing into a microphone. (Artist website) |  |
| Guitar sculpture | Youth Music Project (8th Ave.) |  |
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| Carved century-old maple tree sculpture: "One Tree. Many Songs" (J. Chester "Skip" Armstrong, 2019) | Youth Music Project (8th Ave., located in the lobby) | The tree sculpture stands in the same spot it lived, and represents three genres of music that are taught at Youth Music Project: rock, pop, and country. The three muses (carved by Armstrong) represent Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul; top-selling pop and country artist Taylor Swift; and Hank Williams, the Father of Country. (2020 article about the tree) |  |
| Painted mural wall (BumbleBee Loves You) | Trillium Creek Primary School (covered play area; only accessible when school is not in session) | Artist statement: Whimsical, playful with a sense of childish innocence, freedom and joy. In all my work I try to keep the childhood spirit alive. People grow up too fast. In my work I want to help people remember, even if just for a second, what it was like when to be a kid again. I work with schools, private organizations, and business owners to create one of a kind site-specific murals that are bespoke to their business or organization. My goal as an artist is to create images that are representative of the business or school they are on while keeping with my overall artist theme of playfulness and whimsy. (Artist Instagram) |  |
| Artwork | Location | Notes / Background / History | Photo |
| Rotating Local Artists' Exhibit | Council Chambers | Art created by a local artist is featured on the walls of City Council Chambers and is rotated monthly. | |
| Our Children's Rendition of Kandinsky Art (2002) | Stairwell | West Linn children recreated Kandinsky's 'Farbstudie Quadrate', painted in 1913. The children artists' names are listed on the plaque, along with the names of the adults who helped bring this vision to life. A photo of Kandinsky's original art is displayed below the piece. |  |
| Wooden Carving (Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, 2022) | Council Chambers lobby | One half of a wooden carving that tells a story of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The other half was gifted to the City of Oregon City. | |
| Tillamook paddle carved out of Port Orford Cedar (Brain Krehbiel) | Council Chambers lobby | Hand carved and one-of-a-kind paddle that represents a style from our Tillamook people. Paddle's "spine" runs down to the tip of the blade. Design allows user to quickly modify the paddle to become a spear by breaking away the sides and create a sharp point. Painted Chevron design desirable to our ancestors and also our people today. This paddle is a functioning work of art. | |
| Peace Pole (Sponsored by the Interact Club of West Linn HS, the Rotary Club of West Linn & the City of West Linn) | Outside City Hall Main Entrance | "Let peace begin with me and spread out from this place." - Sami Sunchild / The Peace Pole is an internationally recognized symbol, with a purpose to promote multicultural understanding and world peace. The Peace Pole Project began in post WWII Japan and was launched with a dedication to uplift humankind toward harmony rather than conflict. The languages of Rotary International and the world are many and varied, but all are united by the language of love. May this peace pole provide a place for the community to reflect, be refreshed, and most of all find peace. |  |
