Art in Public Places - Fern Hill Elementary

When Tacoma’s Fern Hill Elementary students arrived for the 2008-09 school year, they were greeted by artist Suzanne Lee’s Nest, located in Heritage Hall, the

Nest (details) by Suzanne Lee, installed at Fern Hill Elementary in Tacoma. Photo by Artist.

school’s main entryway. The central element of the relief sculpture, fabricated from rolled, sandblasted, and etched stainless steel, depicts a nest with birds. As the students make their way up the main stairs toward classrooms, they are accompanied by more elements of the artwork, several birds in flight who have just left their home.

Lee states, “Taking into consideration the beauty of the Heritage Hall and suggestions made by the Art Committee, I wanted to make a timeless, cross-cultural piece that both children and adults would related to. Nest is a metaphor for Fern Hill Elementary, a safe haven where the young are nurtured and encouraged to discover, to question, and to express themselves. The birds in flight represent the students’ personal growth, independence, and endless possibility.”