Artwork copyright Douglas Senft. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2016.

Artwork copyright Douglas Senft. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Douglas Senft. Photo courtesy of the artist.

First Growth, 2004

Douglas Senft
(Canadian, born 1950, died 2012)

Location: Kentridge High School, Kent

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Douglas Senft's large-scale sculpture references the alder tree, which is often the first tree to grow in a newly cleared forest and leaves behind more fertile soil for species that follow.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Kent School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Late artist Douglas Senft (1950-2012) created public sculptures, architectural accessories, and art furniture fabricated from welded steel. Senft's sculptures are inspired by the natural landscapes. He noted, "I work from my responses to the various environments around me; from the intimacy of the flora, the vastness of geography, to the sound of the wind through the cottonwood."

Senft graduated from the Vancouver School of Art (now known as the Emily Carr University of Art and Design) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1972.