Linda Nelson is a proud Pitt Meadows resident, an educator, watermedia artist and active member of the local arts community Her art is realistic to slightly impressionistic in style, covering a good variety of subject matter. Her art includes local scenes and images, a particular pleasure for her. She often creates cards to match her artwork, and has created cards to match the four wing panels of the eagle.
"In British Columbia, there are many amazing geographical features and natural resources. My artwork depicts an eagle's eye view of some of these elements, particularly within the greater Fraser Valley. From a Pitt Meadows vantage point, I have painted scenes to the north and east, hoping to capture the richness and beauty of the environment which surrounds us." (BC Lions Society walking guide brochure)
Story:
The Pitt Meadows Eagle began as one of the fundraising initiatives of the Lions Society for Children with Disabilities. The third in their Public Art fundraising trilogy of bears, orcas and eagles, these large public art pieces are on display in many locations around British Columbia. There were 135 eagles in all, commissioned to various British Columbia artists. The completed eagle was unveiled at the opening of Pitt Meadows Spirit square next to City hall. After being 'on loan' for public display for a year, the eagles were all collected back up and sold outright by the BC Lions Society at a three-day public fundraising auction. The Pitt Meadows Foundation was the final successful bidder, and the eagle was then reinstated in Pitt Meadows Spirit Square, now its permanent home.
One side of the eagle, positioned to face north, depicts the northern view of Pitt Meadows, looking past a heron and farms, to Pitt Lake and the Golden Ears Mountains. The other side shows an eastern birds-eye view over spawning salmon in the foreground, a representation of a historic Katzie village, then further up the Fraser River past log booms, to the vista of a sunrise on Mount Baker.
Fall 2019 Repairs
The Pitt Meadows ‘Rising Spirit’ Eagle in Spirit Square is now ten years old! However, like any public art piece, it requires ongoing maintenance as well as occasional repair. On September 11, 2019 the Eagle was temporarily removed for repairs and restoration work. The bottom wing, which faces south was repaired, repainted and received new protective coatings. On December 2, 2019 it was proudly returned home to Spirit Square.
