The Raven Village tiny home community at 1414 NW Leary Way will soon have a large mural installation.
Raven Village, which was built in 2023 at the former Ballard City Light substation, has 22 heated, insulated, and air-conditioned tiny houses that host up to 28 people. There’s a community kitchen, bathrooms, showers, and a laundry facility on site, along with staff offices, community spaces, and gardens.
The village is on Seattle City Light-owned land; Chief Seattle Club, a Native-led housing and human services agency, entered into a 10-year lease to use the property for the tiny home village.
The mural project, a joint effort between the Office of Arts & Culture, Seattle City Light, and Chief Seattle Club will turn the blank substation walls and fencing along Leary into public art.
The artist is Ty Juvinel, and the mural will “live as a celebration of Indigenous voices, histories, and futures in Seattle, welcoming residents and visitors with bold imagery rooted in cultural traditions,” according to a statement about the project.
A panel of community members and arts professionals helped select Juvinel after reviewing applications, scoring artwork, and holding meetings to ensure the artist aligned with the project goals. The panel unanimously chose Juvinel of the Tulalip tribe.
Juvinel’s work is found throughout Seattle, from the Seattle Children’s Museum to the UW Burke Museum and in Seattle Public Libraries. He’s also created artwork for the Tulalip’s Hibulb Cultural Center, Edmonds Historical Museum, and in the cities of Edmonds and Olympia.
Juvinel’s grandmother Grace Goedel, who played a pivotal role in revitalizing the Lushootseed language, inspired him. After starting in graffiti and drawing, Juvinel moved to Coast Salish art and carving, serving as an apprentice carver with the Tulalip Tribes. His work includes public murals, children’s books (which he both illustrates and writes), carved paddles, masks, house posts, and panels.
The mural process is designed to be collaborative: Residents of Raven Village and surrounding neighbors will work with Juvinel during the creative process. They’ll provide insight and inspiration which Juvinel will use as he develops the design concept.
The Office of Arts & Culture says that over the coming months, we’ll see ideas and sketches take shape as Raven Village becomes “adorned with artwork that stands as a symbol of resilience, healing, and cultural pride.”
The Seattle City Light 1% for Art Funds, administered by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, is funding the Raven Village Mural Project.