Playgrounds & Zoos
In the early years of his artistic career Beyer developed a warm relationship with the architect, Fred Bassetti, who had been commissioned to design number of playgrounds in and around Seattle. Instead of jungle gyms and swings, Bassetti encouraged Beyer to create sculptures for children to play on. Between 1968-1983, huge lovable animals appeared in numerous playgrounds in Seattle, as well as parks in Burien and Renton, Washington, and in a zoo in Portland, Oregon. Children still play on most of these wonderful creatures today.
In the early years of his artistic career Beyer developed a warm relationship with the architect, Fred Bassetti, who had been commissioned to design number of playgrounds in and around Seattle. Instead of jungle gyms and swings, Bassetti encouraged Beyer to create sculptures for children to play on. Between 1968-1983, huge lovable animals appeared in numerous playgrounds in Seattle, as well as parks in Burien and Renton, Washington, and in a zoo in Portland, Oregon. Children still play on most of these wonderful creatures today.
The Wyvern (dragon)
Bobby Morris Park,
11th Ave. at Olive
Seattle, WA
1982, painted cast aluminum
The Wyvern is a fanciful beast that sits on a fallen log in Bobby Morris Park on Capitol Hill in Seattle. The Wyvern is said to have been the last known dragon in England. It became extinct as farmers sought to stop it from carrying off their piglets, cats and fowl. Beyer’s version, made of cast aluminum, was so brightly painted that bees perceived it to be a bank of flowers. The paint has faded, and the bees are gone but children still love to climb on her.
11th Ave. at Olive
Seattle, WA
1982, painted cast aluminum
The Wyvern is a fanciful beast that sits on a fallen log in Bobby Morris Park on Capitol Hill in Seattle. The Wyvern is said to have been the last known dragon in England. It became extinct as farmers sought to stop it from carrying off their piglets, cats and fowl. Beyer’s version, made of cast aluminum, was so brightly painted that bees perceived it to be a bank of flowers. The paint has faded, and the bees are gone but children still love to climb on her.
Wobblies Dancing
King County Park
Burien, WA
1974, an old growth cedar stump
This sculpture incorporates carvings of people and animals dancing around the cedar stump. "Wobblies" was a name given to labor union supporters at the turn of the 20th century (International Workers of the World).
Burien, WA
1974, an old growth cedar stump
This sculpture incorporates carvings of people and animals dancing around the cedar stump. "Wobblies" was a name given to labor union supporters at the turn of the 20th century (International Workers of the World).
Wobblies Dancing (Detail)
King County Park
Burien, WA
1974, an old growth cedar stump
Burien, WA
1974, an old growth cedar stump
Three Dogs Chasing a Rat
Regrade Park
3rd Ave. at Bell
Seattle, WA
1978, carved sandstone
3rd Ave. at Bell
Seattle, WA
1978, carved sandstone
Whale's Tale
Alki Playground
Seattle, WA
1982, cast aluminum
Seattle, WA
1982, cast aluminum
The Storyteller
Washington Park Zoo
Portland, OR
1983, bronze
It took three years to complete this complex sculpture for a plaza in front of the Penguin House in the Washington Park Zoo in Portland, OR. "The Storyteller" is an old man who is telling a little girl what the forests used to be like, with forest animals standing around. The girl is listening intently and is not afraid of the beasts. Behind the old man is a sasquatch with a mask-like face of Northwest Indian legend – “hooting” with an O shaped mouth, thought to be a form of blessing.
Portland, OR
1983, bronze
It took three years to complete this complex sculpture for a plaza in front of the Penguin House in the Washington Park Zoo in Portland, OR. "The Storyteller" is an old man who is telling a little girl what the forests used to be like, with forest animals standing around. The girl is listening intently and is not afraid of the beasts. Behind the old man is a sasquatch with a mask-like face of Northwest Indian legend – “hooting” with an O shaped mouth, thought to be a form of blessing.
Storyteller (Detail)
Washington Park Zoo
Portland, OR
1983, bronze
Portland, OR
1983, bronze
Storyteller (Detail)
Washington Park Zoo
Portland, OR
1983, bronze
Portland, OR
1983, bronze
Sasquatch Pushing Over
a House
University Playground,
50th St. N. at 9th Ave. N.E.
Seattle, WA
1983, cast aluminum and wood beams
The University Playground in Seattle was created after hundreds of small family homes were demolished to create a new freeway in the late 1950s. When asked to produce a sculpture for the park, Beyer decided to memorialize the displaced families. A large female Sasquatch is pushing over a “house", made of 8 foot beams to resemble a house falling down without being dangerous for children to climb upon.
50th St. N. at 9th Ave. N.E.
Seattle, WA
1983, cast aluminum and wood beams
The University Playground in Seattle was created after hundreds of small family homes were demolished to create a new freeway in the late 1950s. When asked to produce a sculpture for the park, Beyer decided to memorialize the displaced families. A large female Sasquatch is pushing over a “house", made of 8 foot beams to resemble a house falling down without being dangerous for children to climb upon.
Sasquatch Pushing Over
a House (Detail)
University Playground,
50th St. N. at 9th Ave. N.E.
Seattle, WA
1983, cast aluminum and wood beams
50th St. N. at 9th Ave. N.E.
Seattle, WA
1983, cast aluminum and wood beams
Sasquatch Pushing Over
a House (Detail) 2
University Playground,
50th St. N. at 9th Ave. N.E.
Seattle, WA
1983, cast aluminum and wood beams
50th St. N. at 9th Ave. N.E.
Seattle, WA
1983, cast aluminum and wood beams
McGilvra's Farm 1
Madison Park, Seattle, WA
1980, carved granite
In 1979, the Madison Park community learned that Seattle had some unprogrammed Capital Improvement funds available. Community members got a proposal accepted for a play area to be designed and created by Rich Beyer at the park on Madison Avenue near the Lake Washington beachfront. Architect, Art Skolnik, helped put the project together, “using cedar from the mountains and great blocks of granite from Vancouver, British Columbia.”
“McGilvra, an early resident of Seattle, brought the railroad to Seattle in the 1880s. As a subsidiary interest he developed the lakefront property that is now Madison Park. I made him out to be an old-time farmer in whose barn, and amongst whose animals, the children could play. It was a farm that was here in dangerous wilderness times…” (RSB)
Beyer's original barn structure did not survive the elements and has been replaced with modern play equipment.
McGilvra's Farm 2
Madison Park, Seattle, WA
1980, carved granite and cedar barn
Beyer created a forest farm scene with five large granite sculptures intended for children to play on. They are (1) A dog watching two sheep, (2) a cougar, (3) a Horse, (4) a mother bear and her cub, and (5) two beavers at a downed tree.
The dog is keeping watch over his sheep that are huddled together for safety.
McGilvra's Farm 3
Madison Park, Seattle, WA
1980, carved granite
The great cougar is sneaking up behind the unsuspecting horse, "ready to drag him into the forest and make a meal of him.”
McGilvra's Farm 4
Madison Park, Seattle, WA
1980, carved granite
The Mother Bear is Instructing her cub on the dangers of the forest.
McGilvra's Farm 5
Madison Park, Seattle, WA
1980, carved granite
Two beavers are working on a downed cedar tree to ceatre material for their beaver damn.