New public art by Warm Springs artist Lillian Pitt dedicated in Bend’s Discovery West neighborhood
KTVZ
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Discovery West and the Bend Park and Recreation District hosted a dedication event this week for new public art by celebrated Warm Springs artist Lillian Pitt, with creative collaboration from Ben Dye and Juno Lachman.
The piece is located in Discovery Park and features two sculptures that depict the Native American legend, The Legend of Coyote and Crow, according to a news release that continues below:
The installation consists of two sculptures: One is a 14-foot-tall steel tree, which rises at the heart of this work, alive with cast crows. Coyote perches across the way on a basalt stone, his eyes blooming bright yellow, and together the pieces retell a beloved Native American legend.
The art honors cultural storytelling and the enduring connection between nature, myth, and place. (Read the story of Coyote and Crow below and experience how this timeless tale comes to life through art).
“On the heels of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we could not be more pleased to honor Warm Springs artist Lillian Pitt, and her stunning sculptures. These pieces are both thought-provoking and playful, and together will make a great addition to the neighborhood’s art collection,” said Romy Mortensen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Discovery West.
“We are thankful for our long-standing partnerships with Bend Park and Recreation District and Visit Bend, whose sustainability fund helped bring this to fruition,” Mortensen added.
The Discovery West development team commissioned the art piece and worked with the park district to select the location. The piece was funded by a grant through the Visit Bend Sustainability Fund and is dedicated to the Bend Park and Recreation District, which will own and maintain it for the public’s enjoyment along the trail.
Tuesday’s event included remarks by Bend Park and Recreation District board members, Visit Bend, the neighborhood development team and representatives from the artist’s team.
The installation joins the many creative discoveries found throughout the Discovery West neighborhood. Visitors can enjoy our Audio Discoveries art tour by scanning a QR code at the art kiosk adjacent to the piece to hear Lillian retell the legend in her own words. There are 10 stops on the audio tour throughout Discovery West, including The Legend of Coyote and Crow.
Locating the Art Installation
Take the soft surface trail located near the intersection of NW Elwood Lane & NW Crosby Drive.
Take the soft surface trail located just south of the intersection of NW Celilo Road & NW Skyline Ranch Road, before the bridge over the park.
Accessibility route: Enter the path off NW Stanhope Drive and head east along the paved Outback Trail.
The Legend of Coyote and Crow
In this Native American legend, the clever tricksters Coyote and Crow meet in a playful — and fateful — contest.
Crow and his friends are racing their eyes: popping them out, sending them soaring across a meadow, and catching them on the return. Coyote, always eager to impress, tries to join in but fails again and again.
Crow, feigning kindness, offers to help. He plucks out Coyote’s eyes and launches them into the air — only to fly off laughing, taking them with him. Now blind and alone, Coyote stumbles through the landscape until he discovers a patch of bright yellow flowers. Desperate, he presses one into each empty eye socket and turns toward the sun. Slowly, the shapes and colors of the world return. Coyote can see again — and his eyes are now the color of those golden blooms.
High in a tree nearby, Crow and his companions watch and laugh. And that is how Coyote came to have yellow eyes.
About Discovery West
Discovery West, situated on 245 acres on Bend’s westside, is the newest community in development by the team behind award-winning NorthWest Crossing. Discovery West offers a variety of home types and sizes, Discovery Corner, its community plaza, select retail shops and businesses, Aerie by AvantStay luxury overnight vacation rentals, public art installations, and 40 acres of parks, trails and open land. The development team’s vision for creating livable, detail-oriented communities that respect the Central Oregon landscape and lifestyle is apparent throughout the neighborhood. www.discoverywestbend.com