2023-2024

with DirtCorps & Nicoterra Trails

Crew 2023: Al, Andrew, Cesar, Danielle, Fedora, Jose, Kim Le, LaToya,  Roseann

Crew 2024: Andrew, Artie, Elena, Gigi, Julia, Kim Le, Luke, Malik, Myesha, Ren

This project supported by a McMillen Foundation artist fellowship

Thanks to
Beacon Food Forest, the City of Tukwila, King County, Seattle CityLight

Photos
Roseann Barnhill, Jason Neuerberg, Sarah Kavage

Once you go upstream 10 miles or so, the Duwamish River becomes the Green, a legacy of all the engineering of regional watersheds. The Cedar, the Green, the White, and the Black Rivers all used to drain into the Duwamish. Cutting the Ship Canal to connect Lake Washington to Puget Sound lowered the lake level and dried up most of the Black River. The Cedar River was diverted to drain into Lake Washington. A flood caused the White River to divert south. What is left is one river with two names.

These living willow sculptures along the riverbank were created in partnership with the incredible restoration crew from DirtCorps, as part of their ongoing restoration of this site. The original installation was created in 2023, and in 2024 we added more sculptures and expanded the restored area. 

When people from around these parts hear the words "Green River" there is one additional word that comes to mind. It's not the river's fault that one person chose to do horrible things along it, but the river is still blamed and feared because of it. During our build in 2023, we talked about the distinct personality of each piece as the work emerged, and how it related to the rest of the group, as if it were a family. So it felt right to put a new third word after "Green River" as a way to create a different future for the river and the chosen family that cares for it.

Visit
13046-10646 Green River Trail, Tukwila, WA 98188
Between the Green River Trail and the River, just south of Strander Boulevard.

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