Harbor School’s Arts Initiative Teams with Metal Artist To Visually Enhance Campus and Fields

In 2013, Harbor School launched a comprehensive Arts Initiative to expand the scope of the school’s art curriculum, but also to strategically improve our campus design through artistic endeavors which would enhance our day-to-day environment and beautify the community in which we live.

The school has teamed with island metal artist Atom Kahn, to create metal silhouettes of children in active playful poses to adorn the chain link fence between the VES Ball Field Park and Harbor School’s campus. After conceptualizing the designs, Head of School James Cardo approached Vashon Park District Executive Director Elaine Ott with a proposal in August. Last week, the VPD commissioners approved the endeavor.

“When Harbor School presented me with their design, I was absolutely thrilled with this creative way to both beautify the VES Ball Field Park and showcase such a fun art project. We are so grateful for the Harbor School’s contribution and generosity!”
– Elaine Ott, VPD Executive Director

With more than half of the silhouettes completed, the installation of the art will begin next week. Each week several silhouettes will be added to the fence until approximately 30 line the length from the parking lot to the baseball diamond.

 “Vashon Parks and Harbor School are great neighbors. We share a vision of having joyful kids playing on our island, and if we can emphasize that with a creative and fun project that is a collaboration between our school, Vashon Parks, and a noted island artist like Atom, all the better!”
– James Cardo, Head of School

This endeavor is the second opportunity the school has had to work with Atom. Last Spring, along with island tile artist Nadine Edelstein, he helped students complete an auction mosaic project by fabricating a metal frame.  
Funds for this project were provided by Harbor School’s Arts Initiative through the support of Harvest Foundation, Charley & Lanora Rosenberry, and donations generated from the school’s 2014 Auction Special Appeal. In kind support has also been provided by Atom Kahn.

“I enjoy teaching art and sharing expertise about skills that are relatively uncommon in our society. Partnering with the Harbor school on this project has given me a great opportunity for sharing with the next generation of craftspeople and artists.”
– Atom Kahn, Vashon Artist

Atom Kahn was born in 1965, and began seeking out extracurricular opportunities to make art in primary school. In college he studied sculpture and design, being drawn to the dimensional opportunities of glass and metal. Atom has since worked with large-scale studios in New York, Los Angeles, and San Diego, until relocating to Seattle in 2006. Here in Seattle he has exhibited glass, metal and large scale mixed media installations in fine art festivals, galleries, private events, and museums. He currently lives on Vashon where he spends most of his time working with metal in his home studio.