Central Point, Oregon- A new glass art installation inspired by Southern Oregon’s Rogue River Basin has been unveiled at the Oregon State Police’s renovated Central Point facility.
Sumi Wu’s “Watershed” features seven waterfalls made from kiln-cast glass, cascading through an open stairwell and elevator lobby. Each waterfall is composed of three colored slabs designed to reflect the natural textures and tones of the Rogue River Basin, from the ground below to the skies above.
“To create interesting textures in the glass, I carved images of natural phenomena from the Rogue River watershed into the original clay shapes that were used as molds to cast the glass,” Wu said.
The molds, created by Bullseye Glass in Portland, are divided into seven categories: Earth, Understory, Leaves, Trees, Landscape, Water and Celestial. Each piece is supported by a stainless steel structure, which Wu said represents the safety structure the Oregon State Police provides to the community.
“I hope people will notice the details and think about how everything in nature is interconnected,” Wu said. “Every living thing depends on the life and natural forces surrounding it. When we know we are connected, we find compassion for each other.”
The Oregon State Police Art Selection Committee selected the piece for its emphasis on compassion, one of the agency’s core values. The committee said Wu’s work was designed to evoke empathy and a sense of connection. Renee Couture coordinated the project, while DLR Group of Portland completed the facility’s renovation.
“The intentional variation of colors, movement and textures of each glass piece affixed by steel are indicative of delicacy, beauty and strength in harmony,” said Tawnya Meyer, OSP Telecommunicator II. “It is a joy to walk these stairs and enjoy this handiwork, especially when the sun joins the atrium.”
Wu, a Portland-based artist, works in multiple media. Her permanent public installations can be seen across the Pacific Northwest, including nine in Oregon and Washington. She also creates abstract and interactive set designs for dance and opera and has performed as a dancer and musician.
The installation is part of Oregon’s Percent for Art in Public Places program, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Oregon was among the first states in the nation to pass Percent for Art legislation, dedicating a portion of public construction budgets to place art in public spaces. The statewide collection now includes nearly 2,700 works of art.
The Oregon Arts Commission oversees the Percent for Art program and other arts initiatives. Established in 1967 and incorporated into Business Oregon in 1993, the commission supports arts funding, education, and community development. In 2003, the Oregon Legislature moved the Oregon Cultural Trust under the Arts Commission, combining resources and expertise in cultural grantmaking and public art programs.
“Watershed” is featured in the “50 for 50” public art series, highlighting works that mark five decades of Oregon’s Percent for Art in Public Places program.
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