Open House Celebrates KeyBank Sculpture's Restoration

If sculptures could talk, the one near the entrance of would have a sad tale to tell.

But this story would have a happy ending. 

After discovering that acclaimed Northwest artist Harold Balazs created the property's distinctive, but deteriorating, piece of public art, KeyBank launched a restoration project.

KeyBank Property Manager Phyllis Achenbach secured funds for the restoration and Connie Landrieu, a conservator, made the repairs.

With the work completed, an open house, with refreshments, is scheduled at the bank this Saturday, between 11:30 a.m and 1 p.m., to celebrate the sculpture's new life and new name: "A Bit of Wonder."

"We at KeyBank love owning a piece of Harold Balazs' sculpture and are happy that our restoration will enable generations of University Place residents to share
our joy," said Vice President and Director Anne Foster, representing the bank in public relations.

Giving this artwork the title of "A Bit of Wonder" made sense.

In reality, it took more than a bit of luck and a bit of TLC to return the sculpture to the physical condition and public respect it deserves. And how it all happened is a "wonder."

Back in 1986, when the bank building at 4001 Bridgeport Way W.  housed its original occupant, Puget Sound Bank, the sculpture's convoluted contours made an attractive focal point. It had been installed because of a collaberation between Balazs and Robert Price, the well-known architect who designed the building.

But after decades of exposure to weather, a collision with a car, and a change of ownership that didn't include passing along its history, it became the concrete equivalent of a down-and-out human. 

Dirty, damaged, forgotten and ignored by passers-by - who didn't know or care what was under all that ivy and moss — the sculpture seemed invisible in plain sight.

But a local journalist, Dave Davison, took a closer look. Its style seemed similar to other examples of Balazs' work that he had seen. He investigated and wrote a story for the Tacoma Weekly newspaper, bringing to light the sculpture's interesting origins.

Balazs, now 83 years old, will not be able to attend the open house but feels grateful that his sculpture was saved, especially when he recalls what happened to another one, in Alaska. A janitor who didn't feel like trimming the grass around it any longer, used a forklift to pick it up and dump it into a canyon. A KeyBank press release quoted Balazs showing a sense of humor.

“It’s quite an honor to have my work restored,” he said. Then, with a laugh, added, “Often people who have these things don’t give a damn!”

Note: A retrospective of Balazs' career will be held July 2, 2011 through June 12, 2012 at the Museum of Northwest Art in LaConner, at which he will be present.