Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Cascadia: Garden of Vessels

Cascadia is a sculptural interpretation of the Basaltic Lava flows

I noticed this watery sculpture in a park at Seattle's International District. There was steam on the water that I thought this was a natural hot spring. The etched metal plate nearby describes this stone fountain as "Cascadia: Garden of Vessels"---a sculptural interpretation of the basaltic lava flows by Seattle artist, John Hoge. This sculpture references the cataclysmic events that shaped the stark landscape of central and southeastern Washington. The basalt formations in this region date to the Miocene Period, beginning about 17 million years ago and continuing over the period of 11 million years. During this time, about 300 lava flows blanketed the region, emerging from giant fissures near the Idaho/Washington border. At the end of the last Pleistocene glacial advance---17 thousand years ago---a monumental ice dam in Montana failed, unleashing a series of floods that scoured the landscape until only basalt formations remain. For Cascadia, the artist selected massive, four-to-six-sided columns as well as smaller "pillow" basalts. Leaving their shapes largely intact, Hoge emphasized the intrinsic beauty of the rocks by polishing selected planes. Cascadia captures the energy and form of the region's beautiful volcanic past.


26 comments:

Photo Cache said...

that's a pretty neat sculpture/water feature. and thanks for the information too.

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Al said...

I like the steam rising up the water. Very informative. Thanks for sharing.

Sidney said...

It sounds and looks like an impressive fountain !

L. Neusiedler said...

oh, what a great construction! a place to stay and get a break from the chaos of the day.

Kirigalpoththa said...

Nice fountain!

Rossel said...

awesome! thanks for sharing.

Budget Traveler said...

beautiful piece of art!

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Gemma Wiseman said...

Love the fascinating shapes in this water feature! Even better, there is a historic reason for their creation! Informative post!

eileeninmd said...

Awesome water sculptures and fountains. I love the designs of the fountains.

kazu said...

Oh,It's beautiful.
Wonderful shots!

kazu said...

Beautiful!
Great shots.
Thanks for visiting my blog.

witsandnuts said...

This is informative. I liked the sort of splashing effect on the third photo.

Ebie said...

The whole set of water features is gorgeous! A cool spot to hang out.

Unknown said...

Oh wow, that's impressive. Great shots and have a nice day.

storyteller said...

Beautiful fountain and what lovely watery photographs you've shared here today. Thanks so much for visiting mine at Sacred Ruminations
Hugs and blessings,

Glenda/MidSouth said...

You did a great job of photographing them. Thanks for sharing the information.

Blue Creek Home said...

Love the fountain. Seattle is such a beautiful city.
Thanks for visiting.
Rhonda

Pat said...

The sculptures are just gorgeous, and you've captured them so well.

SquirrelQueen said...

These beautiful sculptures pay homage to the fiery past of this beautiful region and you have captured them well. Great photos.
I enjoyed you description of the geological history including the Great Missoula Flood.

SQ
Through Squirrel Eyes

Natasha in Oz said...

Looks like it would be the perfect place to be still, quiet and meditate. Lovely! NM

Regina said...

Its just beautiful. Great place.
Thanks for sharing.

Arija said...

A very beautiful fountain.

Carletta said...

Fascinating info!
The fountain is beautiful and I really like that first closeup shot. It's very zen-like and soothing.

Jenn Jilks said...

Beautiful photographs!

Thank you for visiting My Muskoka !

Linnea said...

That's a really interesting water display you came upon. A lot of thought went into its design, too. I bet the watery sounds it creates are equally beautiful too!

rosasdolcevita said...

What a beautiful monument! I can hear the waterfall ... so peaceful. :-)