Don't Miss a Shot of Summer in Downtown Seattle

With blue skies and clean air, there's nothing like a brisk, clear winter's day in the Northwest. But those only come every so often. Much more frequently, the forecast is for gray skies and drizzling to pelting rain. By January, this forecast can start to drag down even the hardiest Northwesterner.

Luckily, visitors to downtown Seattle can now enjoy Blue Sky Passage, a new, free art installation made from a rented shipping container and outfitted with backlit plexiglass panels printed with a panoramic photograph taken by Gregg Erickson, of Goat Peak in summertime. All of the materials used in the installation were provided by local companies.

WTA staffers enjoy the Blue Sky Passage installation on their lunch break. Photo by Anna Roth.

Designed by Erica Bush and installed by Darren Edwards, the installation is the first in a series of temporary art installations coming to Westlake Park and Occidental Square Park this year.

"The shipping container that houses the piece is symbolic of a seasonal time machine. The piece itself accentuates the stark contrast between the season here in the Pacific Northwest -- subdued and dreary in the winter and full of bright boundless skies in the summer months," says Bush. "We hope that the installation brings to mind the brigher sunny skies that are just around the corner in our beautiful Northwest region."

Art installations like these are part of the Urban Parks Activation Partnership. Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) and City of Seattle joined together in this partnership summer of 2015. The agreement gives the DSA management over Westlake Park and Occidental Square Park in order to work with various organizations to enhance the experience of visiting these parks.

Blue Sky Passage is at Westlake Park until February 6, so visit now, and stay tuned for the next installation.