Artwork copyright Bill Frymire. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Bill Frymire. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Bill Frymire. Photo courtesy of the artist (detail).

Artwork copyright Bill Frymire. Photo courtesy of the artist (detail).

Artwork copyright Bill Frymire. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Bill Frymire. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Artwork copyright Bill Frymire. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Make Your Mark, 2018

Bill Frymire
(Canadian | Métis, born 1965)

Location: Alderwood Middle School, Lynnwood

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Artist William Frymire created Make Your Mark with students and staff at Alderwood Middle School, in Lynnwood, Northwestern Washington. Viewed from a distance, 11,000 wood tiles form a mosaic of a 33-feet-long world map. An elevated red star marks the location of the school on the map. Up close, you can see that each tile has been decorated. Over the winter of 2017, Frymire asked students and staff to doodle and draw freely on the wood tiles. Students contributed a variety of designs, from math homework and slogans to intricate drawings. He turned some doodles into large scale screen prints, and he turned others into stamps to reproduce their imagery. The artist then collected and rearranged all of the tiles to create a world map. He considers the tiles a "stream of consciousness and a time capsule of the school's thoughts." He describes Make Your Mark as a celebration of "our world, its diversity, and the potential for youth to have a positive impact on it."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Edmonds School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

British Columbia-based artist and illustrator William Frymire (Métis) creates installations for public spaces. Committed to environmental sustainability, he often utiilzes found objects and recycled materials in his work.

Frymire graduated from Langara College in Vancouver and Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops (both in British Columbia, Canada). He is a member of the Métis Nation, with heritage descended from First Nations peoples and Scottish settlers.