Holiday: Toyland Village 2009

The shadows cast by the afternoon sun highlighted the "Toy Blocks" sculpture in Toyland Village on the Seattle waterfront on 23-December-2009

KENNEWICK, WASHINGTON - Last year, a set of forty lighted life-size sculptures were scattered around downtown Seattle, Washington as the "Downtown Light Spectacular" display, partially covered in this blog. While some of the locations were rather appropriate--a toy boat on the waterfront and a crown in front of a jewelry store--the dispersed locations made it rather difficult to really appreciate the work.


The thirty-four sculptures that made up Toyland Village were located around Piers 57-59 on the Seattle Waterfront on 23-December-2009

This year, that was not an issue. Thirty-four of the sculptures were all displayed together on Piers 57-59 near to the Aquarium on the Seattle waterfront as the "Toyland Village." Putting all the sculptures together allowed scenes to be created, such as the four sculptures that made up a medieval scene seen below.


A set of medieval-themed sculptures stood together at Toyland Village on the Seattle Waterfront on 23-December-2009

The artist behind the sculptures is Randy Bolander, known for his metal tube sculptures usually fabricated at his home in West Seattle. Amongst other things in the past, he was a founder of the On The Edge Sculpture Invitational in Seattle, which has since become the West Edge Sculpture Exhibition.


Chuck Gleich stood next to Randy Bolander's "Baseball Glove" sculpture, part of Toyland Village in Seattle on 23-December-2009

While I only had a chance to see the display in daylight this year, clearly the best time to view the lighted sculptures is after dark, which comes not long after 4 pm near the Winter Solstice in Seattle. The Druids would be proud of the light display.


"Rocking Horse" shadowed the concrete of Pier 59 behind it as part of the Toyland Village in Seattle on 23-December-2009

The "Toyland Village" remains available to view nightly at Piers 57-59 on the Seattle, Washington waterfront through 3-January-2010.