I have stood in between these underground bus bays before and rarely looked up, instead craning my head outward around commuters and travelers to identify the approaching vessel – light rail or bus? How long will I need to scramble for security when I arrive at the airport?
Built in 2009, the Central Link branch of Sound Transit Light Rail currently connects Westlake Station to the Seattle Tacoma International Airport. In March, two new stops will include Capitol Hill and the University of Washington Stadium station.
Today I trade an oversized carry-on for the lightness of a daypack for a hop on, hop off journey of art along the Sound Transit Light Rail line.
Disclaimer: These are selected pieces and installations that impacted me most on this particular trip and not a full representation of what you can discover.
Tukwila International Boulevard Station
“A Molecule of the Region” by Tad Savinar
Think primary color molecular structure with inspiring quotes. Electrons, neutrons, protons with inscriptions of the region’s whispers: “I love the days when Mt. Rainier shows up;” “I wish there were more stars in the Tukwila sky.” Mine would say: “I never knew you could see Mt. Rainier from here,” recalling the first day I saw the mountain.
“A Drop of Sustenance by Tad Savinar”
A large suspended ceramic droplet of water reminds of rain’s reign – an inventor of green space, a constant topic of conversation and a culprit to Northwest lifestyle patterns.
Rainier Beach Station
Rainier Beach is an example of a station above ground right off the tracks. The station sits in between lanes of traffic with cars zooming by who may never be able to pause and see the below:
“Flores, Fishmobile and Pinwheel” by Mauricio Robalino
Bookending the station, a thick pane of glass covers a service building with shapes of color bursting in bloom.
“Dragonfly” by Darlene Nguyen-Ely
A sculpture of a creature stuck in flight emerges at the North platform. I stand perplexed by the contrast of this winged-being – capable of movement yet stunted by static bindings.
“Increment” by Eugene Parnell
Measure your height by the evolution of man or size of dinosaurs. Four bronze statues stand outside of the statue with increments of measure from time and places of history in the world.
Othello Station
Entering Othello station, flags on lamp posts greet you in multiple languages. “O Hello Othello” in Laos, Italian, Mien, Spanish…the continued variety reflecting the diversity of this neighborhood.
“Come Dance with Me” by Augusta Asberry
The freedom of expression strikes me of these lyrical dancers. Feminine figures in flowered dresses seem unbothered by the movement of traffic and people around.
Columbia City Station
“Global Garden Shovel” by Victoria Fuller
A 35 foot garden spade digs into station ground. It’s size commands attention from across the tracks but cross over and see the intricate meshing of plant designs that coalesce into the spade.
We each create new beginnings, often using similar tools but with our own markings. I recall my beginning to Seattle – driving I-90 West in a Prius so packed that you couldn’t see the back windshield but the excitement of seeing mountains and sky bigger than I ever imagined; and the impending feeling of possibility of counting down the mile posts to Seattle. I couldn’t wait to dig into this place.
“A Relic in the Garden” by Gale McCall
Outlines of flower buds and leaves fill inside the circular rim of a magnifying glass lying on its side in a bed of greenery. Bronze baskets also line concrete walls. How do we take in the colors, perspectives and people around us? Do we look only at the surface or take time to pause and lean in to look, listen and linger? How would our patterns change if we carved time and space to be a little closer to the details?
Columbia City Station is located less a mile from the Historic District. Lined with shops, bakeries and older buildings, it’s a neighborhood to come back and explore. Grab a latte and sweet treat from Columbia City Bakery and walk around to observe this active community engaging in daily life. There is a village green and the landmark district’s library, built in 1915, is an Andrew Carnegie branch on the National Register of Historic Places.
International District
“The Paper Chase” by Sonya Ishii
Living in Seattle has given me new appreciation of Asian culture, foods, art and dance. The understated but bold designs and patterns of Asian influence spark question and curiosity into a continent I have not yet visited. Perhaps that’s why the folded origami along the walls of the International District station mesmerizes me. I trace each step of the folds progressing to the final merge of two figures in the center. 
The plaza landing above the station unfurls in quadrants and dimensions that lead the eye to people making connections to a bus or entering King Street Station. Beams of the station walkway splice a poem’s lines by its slants —
“Defining the sky,
Small leaves lilt upwards,
Syllables of a pointed vocabulary
Curving into their own vernacular
Of bud, of tendril, of tenacious vine,
Urgent as light, vivid as sorrow,
Even the ivy seeks language
An occasion for truth.”
Westlake Station
How did I miss these tiles of firestation reds, canary yellows and cobalt blues just hours ago? As my journey concludes back at my starting point, I begin to see the colors emerge. I actually notice the thick black, contour lines of murals on the wall.
Inside one of the boutique shops in Columbia City a journal rack beckoned with colorful covers with patterns and quotes. Scribed on one, a Henry David Thoreau nugget of wisdom: “It’s not what you look at, it’s what you see.”
Instead of fumbling on a smartphone to digest the latest news, look up and see, see what’s around you.
trek well 