Amateur and professional photographers are invited to participate in the “Essentially Edmonds” photo competition presented by the City of Edmonds Arts Commission and sponsored by the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation. The deadline has been extended to October 4, 2011.

Photographers are invited to share their images of what they believe captures the ‘essence’ of Edmonds, the places and people that make Edmonds a special community to live in and visit.

Entries will be exhibited at a public reception at ArtWorks (201 2ND Ave S) on October 20, during the Third Thursday ArtWalk and both winning and honorable mention photographs will be featured on the new City of Edmonds website. The photos will also be added to the Edmonds Museum photo archives. Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation sponsored awards include a $200 First Place Purchase Award, $100 Second Place, and two $50 Honorable Mention Awards.

The deadline for entries is 5 PM, October 4, 2011. Digital Entries may be submitted online, by mail or in person.

Competition rules and instructions at www.ci.edmonds.wa.us/artscommission. Or contact 425-771-0228, EACinfo@ci.edmonds.wa.us for more information. Or download rules and instructions PDF below.

In 2002 Sound Transit worked with the Edmonds Arts Commission to select an artist to create artwork for the new Sound Transit train platform. Seattle artist Gerry Tsutakawa was chosen and he developed a model of his proposed bronze sculpture, “Standing Wave”. The design is a totem-like image that is allegorical to the movement of water on Puget Sound.

The selection committee and the Edmonds Arts Commission reviewed the design and proposed that private fundraising be undertaken to double the budget which would make it possible to commission a 15 foot sculpture – creating a visual landmark in keeping with the scale of the recommended site at the north end of the train platform. Delays in construction of the train platform led to negotiating a temporary site for the sculpture at the SR 104 Mini Park adjacent to the ferry holding lanes.

In March 2004 Standing Wave was installed at the SR 104 Mini Park. On Monday June 27th the sculpture was moved over to the Sound Transit site and the artist worked on cleaning up the finish on the bronze prior to installing it in its permanent location near the corner of Main St and Railroad Ave. Representatives from Sound Transit Art Program and the City were on hand as the crane lifted up the sculpture and the artist and his crew set in down on the new site. The hollow sculpture is bolted to the concrete and partially filled with sand.

The plaque will be moved to the new site in time for the dedication of the Sound Transit platform on July 8 at 10:30 AM. “Standing Wave” is the result of a unique partnership involving Sound Transit’s Start Program, the City of Edmonds Arts Commission and private donors including the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation., the Hubbard Family Foundation, Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation, Bagley Wright Family Fund, Moccasin Lake Foundation, Doug and Janet True, Henry and Mary Ann James, and Pat and Doug Ikegami