Artwork copyright Ken McCall. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2021.

Artwork copyright Ken McCall. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2021.

Artwork copyright Ken McCall. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2021.

Artwork copyright Ken McCall. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2021.

Artwork copyright Ken McCall. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2021.

A New Leaf, 2021

Ken McCall

Location: Bates Technical College, Tacoma

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

A New Leaf by artist Ken McCall consists of three freestanding, tree-like sculptures with leaves on top that rotate in the wind. Routered into the leaves are street maps of the neighborhood from three periods in time. Bates College's location is in the center of each. The maps represent 1888 and the founding of Tacoma; 1947 and the beginnings of Bates College; and 2021 for the date of the artwork's installation. Each leaf also has a gold-leafed symbol representing the medical, technical, and dental trades that are taught at Bates. McCall states, "The trees not only show the various branches of the college, but also represent the growth of the individuals who attend the college as well as of the school itself.”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Bates Technical College.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Artist Ken McCall is a sculptor who works mainly in metals.
McCall spent his childhood exploring art alongside his grandmother in her studio. He studied sculpture and metalwork before embarking on a 20-year career in precision fabrication for the aerospace industry. In recent years, he has returned to his first love of designing and building metal artworks.