Artwork copyright Pam Beyette. Photo courtesy of Discovery Elementary, 2020.

Vesture I, 1992

Pam Beyette
(American, born 1945)

Location: Discovery Elementary, Sammamish

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Vesture I by Pam Beyette is a sculpture made from copper, telephone wire, and wood veneer strips that the artist recycled from Loop Corporation, a Seattle furniture company. “Vesture” means clothing. The artwork references the textures, patterns, and colors of ceremonial garb worn by Indigenous cultures in the American Southwest and Mexico. It is part of the artist's "Icons, Vestures, and Yolks" series. She began the series after a trip to Mexico to “alter her sense of color and light” and learn about the indigenous culture. Beyette states, “My inspiration is sourced from environmental, historical, and cultural experiences, creating art that softens the edges of our urban environment, while revealing a unique sense of place.”

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

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Seattle-based artist Pam Beyette creates integrated public art installations. She states, "My inspiration is sourced from environmental, historical, and cultural experiences, creating art that softens the edges of our urban environment, while revealing a unique sense of place."
Beyette earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1970.