Glass and crystal beads, steel wire, copper pipe, paint
21 feet long
©1998 Bill & Clarissa Hudson
 

This piece was commissioned by the Mt. Roberts Tram in Juneau, Alaska to hang in their main stairwell.  It portrays the yearly return of the Salmon People, shown swimming up a cascading waterfall made of approximately 180,000 glass and crystal beads.

How long does it take to string 180,000 glass beads?  Well, that all depends on how many friends you have.  We had twenty friends help us with this sculpture, and it still took two months to make.

Halfway up the waterfall, a bear leans into the stream with an outstretched paw.  (You can barely see her in the upper left corner...half of her face and her paw reaching into the waterfall...)
 

The second photo shows a detail of the waterfall, with a salmon rising out the the white froth.  Maybe he will make it to the spawning grounds... or maybe he will end up on the bear's dinner plate.