2nd Annual Burien Public Art Walk-n-Talk

“Only through art can we emerge from ourselves and know what another person sees.”
– Marcel Proust

What is Public Art in Burien? It stands tall on a pedestal at your side, adds pattern and color to a painted wall and is embedded in the floor at your feet. Art is creative expression made visible through metal, glass, paint, paper, concrete… any material available to the artist.

“Dancer” by Philip Levine, 1979

Come join the 2nd Annual Burien Public Art Walk-n-Talk as we begin the FOURTH year (!) of our monthly walks. Last year, the City of Burien’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, along with Burien’s Arts Commission, finished its project creating a walking map and signage for the 23 public art pieces around town. All walkers will receive a copy of this map, which we’ll follow to discover 20 of those art pieces.

Explore this community in a different way. Art is everywhere… sculptures, murals, carvings… but also artist-designed floors, windows, water features and more. Think about what “ART” means to you as you wander through Burien. Do you see pattern in a stack of tires, or texture in the natural landscape? How is your life enriched by the art around you?

Date: Sunday, August 3, 2014 (Rain or shine.)
Time: Meet-up at 2:00. Walking starts at 2:15.
Who: Walkers of every level and ability (dogs are welcome, too.)
Place: Meet at the Community Center Annex (Skate) Park,
at the northwest corner of SW 146th and 4th Ave. SW.
Walking Route: We will start at the Community Center Annex, walking from number 1 – 5, then skip to number 8 at the Burien Courthouse. We will then pick back up with numbers 6 and 7, and then on to 9 – 20.
Distance: About 1.5 miles, round trip, mostly flat with sidewalks.

DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE MAP HERE

The City of Burien made a commitment in 1998 to bring art to the community with its 1% for Art Program. Similar to municipal projects around the country, 1% of selected city project costs are set aside to be used on public art projects. The Burien Arts Commission is a volunteer advisory board appointed by the City Council that has the responsibility to recommend artworks that can expand a viewer’s visual experience.

For further information about the artists, materials and artwork, as well as additional photos, please visit the Burien Public Art web site: