Artwork copyright Wowhaus. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Dale Lang, 2021.

Artwork copyright Wowhaus. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Dale Lang, 2021.

Artwork copyright Wowhaus. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Dale Lang, 2021.

Artwork copyright Wowhaus. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Dale Lang, 2021.

Artwork copyright Wowhaus. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Dale Lang, 2021.

Artwork copyright Wowhaus. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Dale Lang, 2021.

Artwork copyright Wowhaus. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Dale Lang, 2021.

Orca, 2021

Wowhaus
Ene Osteraas-Constable (American); Scott Constable (American)

Location: Central Kitsap Middle School, Silverdale

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

The suspended sculpture Orca , by the artist team Wowhaus, evokes the fantastical experience of encountering a life-size orca swimming overhead. The stylized sculpture calls attention to the natural world surrounding Central Kitsap Middle School and the area’s boat-building traditions. It is made of sustainably harvested, steam-bent and carved wood native to the Pacific Northwest, including white ash, Sitka spruce, and western redcedar. Its shape is also like a boat hull. Puget Sound is home to orcas (also known as killer whales) and can be seen through the windows that Orca faces. Wowhaus notes: “As the world's largest dolphin, the orca is an endangered species, apex predator, and beloved inhabitant of the Pacific Northwest for millions of years.”

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

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Wowhaus is an art and design team whose work spans public art, social practice, architecture, and furniture design. Their artworks explore everyday life and the question of how things, places, and relationships acquire meaning and shape a sense of place.

Artists Scott Constable and Ene Osteraas-Constable founded Wowhaus in 1997. They are partners in life and work. They have worked in a variety of fields and media, including organic gardening, boat-building, woodworking, commercial fishing, photography, audio, digital art, and public art. They served as Peace Corps Volunteers in West Africa in 1990-91. Ene Osteraas-Constable received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1987. Scott Constable studied architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1985.