Have you ever noticed the wood carvings located just as you enter Bloedel Hall from the west doors of the building? For the small prayer card included in this year's stewardship mailing, the stewardship committee selected a detail from this work, depicting Jesus telling his disciples to cast their nets on the other side of their boat, as recounted in the Gospel of John, chapter 21. (Click the photo to enlarge.) The entire work, titled Christ the Good Shepherd, is the work of sculptor Everett DuPen (1912–2005).
DuPen taught for many years at the University of Washington, and his work can be be seen in public installations throughout the Seattle area, notably the Fountain of Creation, located at Seattle Center between the Arena and the Northwest Rooms (now the KEXP studios), the carved walnut screens at the entrance of Seattle Municipal Tower, and the fountain at the Pritchard Building at the state capital in Olympia.
Throughout his career, however, he had a special affinity for creating art for churches, and his work includes the stunning 30-foot by 20-foot carved plaster relief altarpiece at St John the Baptist in West Seattle, the baptismal font at Emmanuel Mercer Island, a crucifix for St Stephen's in Laurelhurst, and over a dozen others. An interesting brief documentary on the life and work of DuPen may be seen below.
3 Responses
Sue Tait
This is a wonderful resource. One congregation in our diocese has compiled a
print version of the treasure in their parish. Are you or anyone interested in
creating something like that? No time pressure of course, and I have a copy if you
are interested in seeing what I’m talking about. Thanks for considering it. This idea
has surfaced off and on for years but never went anywhere in actuality.
Saint Mark's Cathedral
Thanks Sue! The Communications Director is indeed VERY interested in doing something like that! It struck me that art that appears in the cathedral temporarily gets a lot of “coverage,” but beloved art that’s been around for decades does not. I’m personally less interested in a systematic inventory than I am highlighting special objects that have interesting stories to tell. (And of course, a version of that already exists, but it’s just a giant binder that Ray Miller has put things in over the years…)
Ray Miller
The credit for putting the binder together goes to Steve Hartwell. I just keep track of it and gladly share its contents with all who might have an interest.