Has anyone else noticed the wall at the north end of our unwanted new runway? I know there are funds set aside for art, but when I looked over while driving on the freeway, for the life of me it looks like they have an angel carved in the bricks of that wall!

Are public funds now paying for religious art? Are they going to change it each season? Are they hoping no one will notice?

I'm sure that up close the wall is too big for it to be seen, it can only be viewed from a distance. If it's not an angel, what else has wings and a womanly form, fairies? Wouldn't some call that witchcraft?

I certainly believe in God, but I can't believe he is happy to have graven images of his helpers used as decor for a public works project.

Heidi Clarke

Burien

(Editor's Note: Diane Summerhays, the airport's community development director, responds:

The artwork, with a Puget Sound theme, is integrated into the exterior face of the north wall and the top tier of the west wall.

The north wall features a ship with figureheads at each end (one male and one female), and layered images of the Puget Sound such as sea plants, rain forest lichen, native birds (puffins) and shapes called Asian clouds. Companion elements are being used on the top tier of the west wall.

The image your writer is referring to is the female figurehead or masthead on the “ship.”

The artwork was cast in relief in the concrete panels, which are cross-shaped and fit together jigsaw fashion — each panel showing a small piece of the whole picture.

The design was created by Denver-based artist Carolyn Braaksma and the Surface Strategy Studio. They were selected from a list of 10 applicants by the Port’s Art Oversight Committee.)