“Vertebrae” by Sarah Fetterman arose within the trees of the Sculpture Forest this past weekend. Sarah is a Seattle multi-media artist and her large scale aerial sculpture Vertebrae was originally exhibited at Seattle Center. She then wanted its new home to be in the Sculpture Forest where it merges (while also being prominent) within the Nature Nurtured path’s surroundings.

As you will be able to see in the park’s self-guided tour descriptions and video when onsite, the genesis for Vertebrae occurred when Sarah came upon the few remaining bones from a deer in a forest. Her mind expanded those bones to what once was, yet is now just a small visible part of a much greater invisible whole. Ideas of permanence to impermanence, scale, and history within the forest all washed over her. Then, she created “Vertebrae” in her studio by standing inside of it as she bent metal by hand and welded the biomorphic structure around herself.

Installing Vertebrae in the air overhead between two huge trees was a fun team effort of volunteers led by Sarah and a local professional rigger who guided Robert Davenport, Ben, Ken Price, and Scott Price.

Thank you to Sarah for creating and sharing her work with the community and thank you to the volunteers for enabling Vertebrae’s exhibition!