Marsh Life Sculpture
Museum Plaza
The sculpture “Marsh Life” is a carved mural by Tulalip tribal member and Coast Salish artist Ty Juvinel, whose diverse art practice includes sculpture, murals, carvings, paintings, and digital design. A graduate of The Art Institute of Seattle,
Ty is known for blending traditional Coast Salish design with contemporary media to celebrate and preserve his cultural heritage. Inspired by personal experiences, family, and nature, Ty embraces art in all forms as a way to express identity and emotion. Ty’s artistic philosophy is rooted in exploration, curiosity, and a deep respect for ancestral connections and the natural world.
Commissioned in 2019 as part of a revitalization project for the Edmonds Historical Museum plaza, “Marsh Life” was envisioned as a cedar mural reflecting the historical richness of the Edmonds marsh. The marsh once served as a vital resource and cultural gathering place for local Coast Salish tribes, including the Suquamish, S’Klallam, Snohomish, and Snoqualmie.
Ty’s “Marsh Life,” featuring traditional Coast Salish motifs like crescents and trigons, portrays a scene of pre-contact summer life with fishermen, marsh animals, guardian salmon posts, and spiritual imagery. Symbolism, like the watchful frog in glass, reflects both physical and spiritual significance across Native communities. Ty describes the mural as a reminder of the harmonious relationship Indigenous societies once had with nature—an ideal he believes is essential to reclaim.
