Artwork copyright Lynda Rockwood. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Lynda Rockwood. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Lynda Rockwood. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Lynda Rockwood. Photo courtesy of the artist (detail).

Artwork copyright Lynda Rockwood. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Visual Dialogue, 1982

Lynda Rockwood
American (born 1949)

Location: Valley View Middle School, Snohomish

About the Artwork

Visual Dialogue by Lynda Rockwood is a sculptural installation and gathering place. The three sculptures and a chair encourage students to look beyond their immediate physical space and investigate the symbolism of shapes in art, math, and nature. Rockwood notes, "The triangle, circle, and square are the most significant primary shapes... The angle in which these are placed in relation to one another, the planes created from these angles, the rotation of triangular flat planes, and the sun-cast shadows are all important visual elements to the total artwork." 

The artwork's base is in the form of the first Valley View Middle School. In 1982, a new school was constructed and that funded the creation of this artwork for the school's main entrance. Thirty years later in 2013, Valley View Middle School underwent another major re-construction. Rockwood's artwork was re-sited to a new outdoor commons area, where students can again use it as a space to gather and look and think about the world.

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

About the Artist

Seattle-based artist Lynda Rockwood creates sculptures and installations that incorporate natural imagery and universal symbols.
Rockwood was raised in Randle, Western Washington, a small logging community between Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens. She received a Master of Arts degree in Photography from Central Washington University in Ellensburg in 1973. She received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture from the University of Washington, Seattle in 1978. She served as a Professor of Sculpture at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1985 to 1993. She served as a welding instructor at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle from 1994 to 1996.
In addition to her artistic practice and teaching, Rockwood works as a conservator. She provides fabrication, condition, and restoration consultations for artists, private collectors, and public collections.