Thanks to Puget Sound Skills Center instructor Dale Copeland and his welding program students, a beautiful new water sculpture entitled "Lighthouse" has been created and installed in the new Burien Community Center's outdoor atrium.

The artwork is immediately visible upon entry to the center. "Lighthouse" was created to represent a large shape of a coastal rock formation and made from steel sheet metal.

Each student created their own tree and signed them before placing upon the rock, which also includes a lighthouse as a focus point.
Copeland, an artist who teaches welding at PSSC, designed the sculpture.

PSSC students, who are also involved in the Plumber and Pipe Fitters Local 32 Welding Career Program, included Landon Abel, Bryan Asplund, Jonathon Garrision, Robert Griffith, Adam Hilmer, Nicholas Holme, Zackary Larson, Talus Moloney, Ezequiel Morales, Kevin Narverud, Ryan Northern, Alexander Nitchke, Robert Rose, Caleb Silver, Deven Smotherman, Salamina Tauanuu, and Penn Wright.

McKinstry Company of Seattle, who served as general contractors for the new community center building, donated materials.

This is the second public sculpture created by Copeland's program. In 2009, his students created a metal sculpture of an eagle and salmon entitled "Learn and Survive" that was exhibited in the former Burien Interim Art Space (B/IAS.)

When the B/IAS program ended, the sculpture was moved and is currently on display outside of the PSSC campus.