In early 2010, my friends Andy and Jessica Husted were about to open the doors to the Der Blokken Brewery in Bremerton. They approached me about doing a mural of Bremerton’s soon-to-be replaced Manette Bridge as a centerpiece for their new brewery. Jessica had suggested that it be made of bottle caps. I jumped on the idea at once, as I had been saving caps for five years for some unknown project.
As I hammered the 7200+ caps on a 4′x8′ sheet of plywood, the new Manette Bridge rose from the depths of the Puget Sound next to its older sibling, and my mural began to take shape one cap at a time. During this time, the new bridge opened up, and the deconstruction of the old bridge began.
After seven years of collecting bottle caps, almost two years of hammering them into place, and countless hammer-blackened thumbs and fingers, the mural was completed. One of the most gratifying moments was driving across the new bridge behind Andy’s mural hauling truck and watching the construction workers heads turn as we passed. Another was Mayor Patty Lent stopping by the opening, and giving me her Bremerton pin from her lapel.
The project made the Kitsap Sun a few times throughout its progress. Click on the links below for the articles and accompanying pictures. They show a good progression of the brridge, and also talk a bit about my stencil art too.
Here’s a good look at my beard. At this point I had vowed not to shave until the bridge was done. Kitsap Sun 11/25/2011
The finished product and grand unveiling. Kitsap Sun 2/3/2012
Here are some pictures my brother Scott took:
…and finally a video of Jessica and myself giving some speeches and the unveiling.
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