Bothell Arts Commission discusses two temporary bridge-art proposals; members favor “fishing frog” but take no vote

At its Jan. 16, 2025 meeting the Bothell Arts Commission reviewed two temporary public-art proposals for the pedestrian bridge at Bothell Landing: a human-scale sculpture nicknamed “fishing frog” and a panel-based morning-glory mural. The commission discussed siting, visibility, materials, branding and permitting; commissioners generally favored the frog design but did not take a formal vote.

The commission opened the discussion after hearing that artist Will Schlaue, a $10,000 grant recipient under the commission’s temporary-arts program, submitted two concept designs for the bridge. One design is a sculptural installation showing a large frog “lounging in a hammock” attached to the bridge joists, described by the presenter as roughly human-sized to fit the ~11-foot span between joists. The sculpture concept would use metal circles welded into a skin-like surface (mild steel, patinated to a green hue) and a stainless-steel-rod hammock welded to a collar bracket…