Artwork will be a key part of a pedestrian plaza at the southwest corner of 236th Street Southwest and Van Ry Boulevard, across from the Mountlake Terrace light rail station. Mountlake Terrace residents and city officials gathered recently to view presentations from four artist submissions for that artwork.

The Mountlake Terrace Arts Advisory Commission selected the artists — BK Choi, Miguel Edwards, John Fleming and Tsovinar Muradyan — from a list of 30 applicants to present their ideas April 19. A naming process for the 2,000-square-foot future pedestrian plaza will take place later this year, followed by its construction in 2024. 

Artists were asked to create a piece of art large enough to be recognizable from the light rail station, and one that would represent Mountlake Terrace and its natural beauty. The arts advisory commission will review the public’s feedback May 16 and make a recommendation to the Mountlake Terrace City Council.

1. BK Choi: Camas dancheong

Choi, a Mountlake Terrace resident since immigrating from Seoul as a child, presented a monument representing the native flower species Camassia quamash in the style of dancheong, a bold Korean style of decorative painting used to adorn temples and other buildings. The plant’s bulbs were eaten and traded by native peoples living in the Pacific Northwest.

2. Miguel Edwards: Two submissions — Penumbra Ascent or Rise Together

Edwards is an established sculptor and photographer in the Pacific Northwest, having created sculptures around Washington. He presented two sculptures that incorporated ideas of lighting responsive to the environment and time of day. Edwards stated his goal with Penumbra Ascent and Rise Together was to create a whimsical piece with subtle nods to Mountlake Terrace history. 

3. Tsovinar Muradyan and Gegham Abrahamyan: Two submissions –Fragile Habitats or Blooming Stones

Muradyan and Abrahamyan, Washington state artists, focused their arts on life and nature. Fragile Habitats is meant to alert humanity to endangered habitats while giving a feeling of ethereal flying as its balloons contain images of native endangered species. Blooming Stones reminds people of hope in every situation.

4. John Fleming: Two submissions — Votive or Uplift

Fleming’s Votive and Uplift focus on the city’s excellence in environmental stewardship. Votive is a tall, rust-colored sculpture supporting a series of mirrors with cutouts of endangered Washington animals. Uplift contains mirrors in a different, outward-facing chassis and encourages Mountlake Terrace residents to write words that represents what Mountlake Terrace means to them or a word that represents MLT, to create a sense of ownership.

— By Jasmine Contreras-Lewis