Yakutat

Yakutat by Gretchen Daiber
Bronze and granite

At the Des Moines Marina, a lifelike stone seal gazes up at passersby. This sweet sculpture, named Yakutat, was inspired by artist Gretchen Daiber's experience as a longtime commercial fisher in Alaska.

“Harbor seals are constant companions to fishermen," she said. "They look like your neighborhood dogs swimming up to the boat. And the moms will leave their pups on the beach while they go out to fish.”

The impetus for the sculpture came one day when Daiber and her husband were anchored in Yakutat Bay to wait out a storm. They went ashore to walk along the beach, where they found chunks of marble and brought a few pieces back to their boat. Daiber carved a harbor seal pup out of one of the pieces. Later, she took a mold of the sculpture and cast it in bronze. It's a fitting piece at the marina, where harbor seals can also be seen bobbing in and out of Puget Sound.


About the Artist:
Gretchen Daiber worked for many years at sea in commercial fishing. She trained as a printmaker and graphic designer and later as a sculptor. Her work records and interprets the landscapes and environments that she loves.