Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2012.

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of the artist (detail).

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of the artist (detail).

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of the artist, by Kurt Howard, 2012.

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of the artist (detail).

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of the artist, by Kurt Howard, 2012.

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of the artist, by Kurt Howard, 2012.

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of the artist, by Kurt Howard, 2012.

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2012.

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2012.

Artwork copyright Cecilia Blomberg. Photo courtesy of the artist, by Kurt Howard, 2012.

McMicken Heights Tapestry, 2012

Cecilia Blomberg
(Swedish, born 1950)

Location: McMicken Heights Elementary, SeaTac

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Artist Cecilia Blomberg's McMicken Heights Tapestry shows students learning and sharing, with elements of education and science floating above them and surrounding the "Tree of Knowledge." It is about friendships, how similar we all are, and how learning about different cultures and traditions makes it easier to understand the world and accept each other. The local art selection committee was interested in math and diversity as subjects for the artwork. The school has children from many different backgrounds and over seventy languages are spoken among them. Blomberg notes, “My hope is that this tapestry will be inspiring and will remind you that the world is full of beauty and wonderful people, interesting opportunities and so many new things to learn, always.”

Blomberg filled the tapestry with symbols. The apple tree behind the children represents the Tree of Knowledge, and its branches are life’s different paths. Math and science are everywhere – in life and in this artwork. Art and science both involve and demand creativity, and both are about finding solutions to ideas or problems. Look for the math symbol Pi (and for a real pie); logarithmic spirals as seen in the nautilus shell, the sunflower, and the pine cone; an equilateral triangle, a Möbius loop (that has a half twist in it), an atom, a Rubik’s cube puzzle, and many more math symbols or connections. Yellow lines show The Golden Ratio which is the relationship between a square, a circle, and a rectangle. It has been used for hundreds of years as a guide to provide harmonious proportions in architecture and art. Blomberg also included fruits and vegetables that represent the school’s community garden and the local agriculture of the SeaTac area of Western Washington.

Click to watch a video of Cecilia Blomberg weaving "The McMIcken Heights Tapestry."

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

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Swedish tapestry artist Cecilia Blomberg lives and works in Western Washington. Creating artworks for public and private spaces, Blomberg's tapestries intricately depict figurative imagery. She studied textile arts, crafts, and design at institutions in Sweden.