All About "Samara" the Outdoor Art Sculpture At The Community Center

When you pull into the Laurelhurst Community parking lot, there is a tall art sculpture in the center vegetation area, called the "Samara."

The outdoor art sculpture, commissioned by the City, was placed in the parking lot of the Laurelhurst Community Center in 2007 and is made of steel (alloy), fiberglass and LEDs.

The Public Art Archive says about the piece:

Created in collaboration with community groups and a design team, ”Samara” by Susan Zoccola welcomes visitors of all ages to a historic park and Laurelhurst’s busy community center. 

The 18-foot-tall tapered steel pole features clusters of seed pods dangling from branches. The five fiberglass pods, each 4 to 6 feet in wingspan, are inspired by the helicopter seed pods of maple trees. They move slightly in the wind and are lit from within to draw attention to the entry of the community center in the evening.

Zoccola states: "I appreciate how proud and strongly connected people are to their park's natural beauty and rich history. With its unique diversity of old trees, I felt that I should reference nature in the artwork I created for this place. The park site is particularly dark at night, so incorporating light into the piece was also important. I hope that the lighting, scale and 'movement' of the parts of the sculpture will encourage people to smile and pause to appreciate the surrounding beauty of the park and its amazing views of the city. The curved top of the pole with the clusters of dangling pods will gesture toward the center's entry door, greeting people to the center as they come and go."

Funding source: Seattle Parks and Recreation Community Centers Levy 1% for Art funds.

Susan say says of the sculpture on her website:

I worked with community groups and the design team to make an entry artwork that welcomed visitors of all ages day and night to this historic park and busy Center. The 5 maple-like pods, each 4 to 6 feet in wingspan, are lit from within with LEDs and move slightly in the wind.

Susan's other works in the Seattle area are Glass Blades at the Seattle Center, Wave Wall at the Aquarium, Confluence at Kenmore City Hall, 3 Drops in Lynwood, Bloom at the Seattle King County Metro Transit Atlantic Central Base parking garage, Stem at SeaTac Airport, Lumen at Seattle Center.   There is other public art of hers around the state as well as in  Portland, Everett and  California.

(photo courtesy of Public Art Archive)