Stuart Nakamura
Seattle-based artist, Stuart Nakamura, creates site-specific sculptures inspired by the cultural history and character of each location. He was commissioned to design art for Gables Queen Anne, drawing inspiration from the neighborhood's unique history and architecture.
The "Queen Anne Hanafuda" concept uses playful imagery, depicting the "queen" as a playing card, with each panel representing key features of the community. The screen designs highlight Queen Anne’s architectural details, natural beauty, and landmarks, while reflecting the neighborhood's vitality and diverse history.
The screen designs for Gables Queen Anne on Boston Street and Queen Anne Avenue draw inspiration from the rich history and distinct character of the Queen Anne neighborhood. Inspired by the neighborhood’s architectural heritage and diverse qualities, the artist envisioned each panel as a “queen” playing card, with individual cards depicting unique local features. Influenced by the strong diagonals of traditional Japanese Hanafuda cards, this design, titled "Queen Anne Hanafuda," reflects the vibrant movement and evolving energy of the community, mirroring both its past and the dynamic future this development will bring.
Artist Inspiration
Boston Street Screens
Left to right: Queen Anne architectural detail, panel 1; early Native tribes fished in what were then water marshes at the base of QA hill, panel 3; the legacy of the Counterbalance used by trolleys up QA Avenue hill, panel 5; the views of the Space Needle and beyond, panel 7; the numerous stair climbs, panel 9; and the North Queen Anne Bridge Drive, panel 11.
Queen Anne Avenue Screens
Left to right: botanical details Parsons Garden, panel 1; view of float planes on Lake Union, panel 3; viewing south from Kerry Park, panel 5; view of Space Needle from Queen Anne HS window, panel 6; detail brick work found on the Wilcox Walls, panel 7; and water traffic on the Sound seen from 8th Place W, panel 8.