City of University Place announcement.
On Aug. 18, friends of the Curran Apple Orchard gathered for a dedication of the park’s new piece of public art. “Forever Friends” is a bronze sculpture by John Jewell and was inspired by Brewster, one of two horses belonging to the Curran family, original owners of the Curran Apple Orchard.
For Jewell, who created the “Sharing” sculpture in Cirque Park and the 9/11 statue in front of West Pierce Fire & Rescue, “Forever Friends” has special meaning. Not only did he and his wife take walks in the orchard 56 years ago before they were married, but their granddaughter, Annie, served as the model for the young girl feeding Brewster the apple.
The artwork was made possible through a multi-year fundraising campaign by UP for Arts, which secured private contributions as well as state grants, with help from former state Sen. Steve O’Ban and state Rep. Christine Kilduff, as well as current state Rep. Mari Leavitt.
One of the people admiring the new artwork, which is located at the main entrance to the Curran Apple Orchard on Grandview Drive, was Catherine Curran Hagen, the daughter of Charles and Mary Curran, the orchard’s original owners. “Bit by bit, my dad planted every one of these trees,” she said as she scanned the landscape. “It just means everything to me to have this be just like it was when I was growing up.”
After the dedication, guests snacked on cookies shaped like horses and green and red apples before the park filled up for the summer’s final Music in the Park concert by the JBLM New Orleans Brass Band.
