♪♪
My name is
Jerry Tsutakawa and I am the fabricator
of these bronze gates that were stolen.
♪♪
It was two and a half years ago
when they were stolen.
And, of course, you know, there was a period of people
outraged and emotional grief and all that.
Then the foundation and the community
really came together and did the fundraising
and asked me to build them.
When they were first stolen,
I said I didn't want to do it again
because it was too much work the first time.
But I realized, you know, it was up to me
because no one else could figure it out.
My father designed them and I built them in '76
and my father saved all the drawings, so I had
the original design.
The fabrication is very difficult.
There was 150 pieces of bronze here.
It's all flat sheet and they all had to be custom
cut length and welded together and nothing was done
on the computer. So it was all hand-built.
So it took about three and a half months of
full labor with two people.
When we were installing, and since then, I've been
watching people and they're really smiling
and they're really happy with this new location.
It is such a relief to have them back.
I'm really happy to see that it's come full circle
and instead of grief, it's
a lot of happiness.
♪♪
The Tsutakawa
Memorial Gates are located between Azalea Way
and the Visitor Center at Washington Park Arboretum.
More information is at ArboretumFoundation.org.
♪♪
Catch Art Zone Friday nights at 8
and anytime online at SeattleChannel.org/ArtZone.