2200 7TH AVE
May 22, 2021:
Western Neon has been working in the Seattle area since 1985 to build, service, and maintain the Emerald City's illuminated signs. We are currently helping refurbish the infamous Pink Elephant Car Wash sign while also celebrating the unsung female artist and designer who created it. A private donor is interested in installing an edition of this iconic sign at the Northeast corner of 7th Ave and Blanchard Street. To ensure this sculpture is viewed as a work of art, we are requesting a MUP Variance for this under Conditions 3 and 5 and then apply for a City of Seattle Sign Permit and proceed. That said, please see below for information on how we classify this unique object and how we would identify the artist on an informational plaque adjacent to the installation:
Pink Elephant II
The Pink Elephant II is a refurbished sculptural monument celebrating the original sign sited at the intersection of Denny and Dexter Avenues in proximity to Highway 99. It combines an original sign shell with new glass, electrical components, internal structure, and hardware while incorporating a decorative base reminiscent of the first Pink Elephant designed by artist Beatrice Haverfield.
Neon and argon filled glass tubing, phosphorus powder, glass, aluminum, copper, patinated enamel over sheet metal, seven electromagnetic transformers, animator, GTO, carbon steel, stainless steel, hardware, 122" x 24" x 110", Seattle, 1956.
About the Artist: Beatrice Haverfield
Beatrice Haverfield (1913-1996) was an unparalleled artist, designer, and visionary who transformed the Seattle urban landscape. While her impact can be marked and remembered, her legacy is immeasurable. Beatrice was creative from an early age and honored her artistic talents while soaking up the rapidly changing Seattle skyline. From her first company with high school sweetheart Elden Fisler to her time with burgeoning company Campbell Neon, Beatrice was a unique and instrumental force.
In her time, she created the infamous "Ivar's" sign on Pier 54, the futurist look of blue-collar mainstay "Chubby & Tubby's" as well as "The Dog House" and "Dick's Drive-In" and a multi-colored, show-stopping landmark for Cinerama. Never to rest on her laurels, Beatrice pulled out all the stops for her masterpiece, "The Pink Elephant."
This one-of-a-kind monumental sculpture was more than a sign as it evoked an entire library of personal design moves. From characteristic script to industrial text, the "Pink Elephant" was a sublime mix of light, space, time, and commerce spinning above one of the busiest intersections in the city it symbolized - a city always on the way up, glittering against the ocean, mountains, and trees day and night.
Please let me know if you have any questions and we look forward to working with you to establish the next steps as well as a realistic pre-construction, fabrication, and installation schedule based on a variance approval and permitting.
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