This May, the opening of the Downtown Redmond and Marymoor Village light rail stations brought with it more than new destinations and connections — it also opened the door to new public art.
After the opening day festivities, the Redmond and Marymoor Village Station Art Celebration offered a rare opportunity to hear directly from the artists whose work now lives in these public spaces.
The event brought together artists, fabricators, community members, and more to honor the incredible artworks integrated into both stations — works reflecting years of vision, collaboration, and community connection.
“So many hands and so many brains came into play,” said Lucile Chich, a project manager for the Sound Transit art (STart) team. “It’s been a gift to work with fabricators and artists who are fully engaged in the process. This kind of collaboration helps public art thrive — it keeps artists closely involved, and it builds lasting creative partnerships.”
Here’s a look at the full group of artists and their contributions to the stations on the newest 2 Line extension:
Downtown Redmond Station
Abraham Awalom – “Rhythms of Emotion”
Nancy Blum – “Butterfly Garden”
Jasmine Iona Brown – “Have You Seen Me?”; “I’ll Fly Away”; “Purple Circuit Board”; “Red Circuit Board”; “Black Teen Wearing Hoodie: Under the Tree of Knowledge”
Ken Gonzales-Day – “Johnny Leggz”
Malayka Gormally – “We Are All Immigrants”
Cable Griffith – “Bitstreams”
Lauren Iida – “Rock/Paper/Scissors”
Julie Paschkis – “Traveler and Bicycle Series”
Kenji Hamai Stoll – “Onigawara 1–5”
Angelina Villalobos – “Between Kelp and Canopy”
Semi-abstract, expressive works created during the pandemic that pulse with movement, connection, and introspection.
Nature-infused mosaics highlighting the region’s ecosystems and rooted in natural beauty.
Glass mosaics transform Redmond’s landscapes into vibrant, glyph-like digital patterns.
Portraits layered with circuitry and symbolism that explore identity, technology, and the natural world.
Whimsical, folk-art mosaics celebrating Redmond’s cycling culture and the joy of travel.
Cinematic motion studies of a breakdancer from his “Pandemic Portraits” series capturing energy, joy, and masterful skill.
Mosaic tiles inspired by Japanese architectural forms and video game aesthetics, serving as visual guardians.
Mosaics inspired by historic photos that honor resilience and memories of WWII-era Japanese American incarceration camps.
Portraits of local immigrants in traditional clothes, affirming individuality and shared experience.
Porcelain enamel panels filled with native plant species celebrate ecological beauty and pollinator pathways.
Marymoor Village Station
Nova Jiang – “Air Grove”
Sculptural “airships” inspired by seed dispersal strategies of native trees offer a poetic take on travel and ecological connection.
Yegizaw “Yeggy” Michael – “Point of Connection”
A large-scale porcelain enamel mural using color and organic forms to reflect Redmond’s cultural diversity and innovation.
A diverse collection of voices and visions
Across both stations, visitors will find artwork that reflects the history, ecology, culture, and innovation of the Redmond area through dozens of unique perspectives. The collection features sculptures, mosaics, and murals spanning materials and traditions. The artists’ personal experiences and deep engagement with place inform each piece.
An example: Nova Jiang’s sculptures, collectively titled “Air Grove,” float above the staircase atrium at Marymoor Village Station garage. Imagined as airships and inspired by seeds from trees in the nearby park, Jiang’s sculptures celebrate both nature and the region’s aviation history.
“Because the station is a multimodal transit hub, I wanted the artwork to suggest an imaginary mode of transportation,” Jiang shared. “Each airship reflects a different tree, like the big leaf maple or western red cedar. Their shapes, textures, and dispersal methods became a new visual language for imagining movement and journey.”
Another artist, Yegizaw “Yeggy” Michael, created “Point of Connection,” a vibrant mural at the Marymoor Village bus transit area celebrating Redmond’s rich cultural and ecological roots.
“I normally create everything myself — paint, mosaic, wood, glass, sculpture,” Michael said. “This was the first time I worked with fabricators on a piece of this scale. It was a new experience, but it allowed me to focus on understanding the people and history of Redmond and to design something that really speaks to this place.”
Behind the scenes: Collaboration in action
Three fabrication teams played a major role in shaping what visitors now see at the stations:
- Tieton Mosaic, a small but powerful creative business in Tieton, Washington, crafted the 27 mosaic murals spread throughout the Downtown Redmond Link Station’s plazas.
- Winsor Fireform, based in Tumwater, Washington, created the 23 porcelain enamel murals that are companions to Tieton Mosaic’s murals at the Downtown Redmond Station and a 200-foot-long mural inside the Marymoor Village Station’s garage.
- The model shop at ZGF Architecture in Portland, Oregon, helped bring to life Nova Jiang’s suspended blimp-like sculptures suspended in the east staircase of the Marymoor Village Station garage.
Their work reflects a deep commitment to both quality and collaboration — something Chich emphasized as key to the project’s success. General contractor Hansel Phelps and their subcontractors, along with Sound Transit’s own construction management team, played essential roles in ensuring a seamless installation.
Public art with lasting impact
The artworks at Redmond and Marymoor Village Stations are more than permanent installations; they are a living part of the transit landscape whose meaning and impact will evolve over time. From bold mosaic walls to quietly powerful portraits and imaginative forms, each piece invites the public to engage, reflect, and connect.
This is what public art is meant to do,” Chich said. “It connects us to where we are, to one another, and to the potential of what’s possible when we all show up with vision and care.
As Redmond welcomes more riders, thousands of people will pass through spaces shaped by creativity, collaboration, and care. The new stations aren’t just gateways to the region — they’re galleries, gathering places, and reflections of community.