The Tacoma area’s stock of public art treasures increased by one on Oct. 16 with the unveiling of “One Step Ahead,” a four-foot tall bronze statue of a mallard duck (and two ducklings) by noted sculptor Georgia Gerber.

Installed in front of the new University Place (UP) city hall/library (between 35^th and 37^th Streets on Bridgeport Way), the drake duck is a memorial that honors Terry Reim, who passed away in 2003. A long time UP resident, Reim was the driving force (along with Dixie Harris) in establishing the UP Farmers Market and the annual “Duck Parade,” which is now a decade-old tradition that kicks off a larger celebration called “Duck Daze.” Held on the first Saturday in June, “Duck Daze” marks the end of the Northwest rainy season.

UP Mayor Debbie Klosowski opened the unveiling ceremony before turning the podium over to artist Gerber, who asserted that she had attempted to give her duck the same bold attitude as the man that it is meant to memorialize. The inclusion of the two ducklings, Gerber noted, provides a generational aspect as well as a dynamism that results from having a sculpture with multiple, interacting figures.

Reim’s widow, Ruthann Reim McCafree, spoke of her late husband’s life and legacy and then the sculpture was unveiled. Family members, some of whom had flown in from Hawaii, placed leis of purple flowers around the necks of the mallard and the ducklings. Almost immediately children were drawn to the sculpture and began to climb onto the duck’s bronze back, fulfilling Gerber’s hope that the work would possess a warmth and approachability that draws people to it in a physical way.

“One Step Ahead,” with its sinuous lines and round volumes, is indeed an attractive work. Its accessibility is enhanced by its ground level placement. Gone are the days when public monuments consist of bronze heroes placed on high pedestals. The duck’s head, neck and back are smooth to the hand. Further down feathers are suggested by rough smudges – the marks of the artist’s fingers in the modeling clay from which the bronze was cast. One of the ducklings rides on the adult duck’s back while another walks alongside. The adult is captured in a moment of striding forward, head turned slightly toward the north and west. Set out in a little plaza with curving sidewalks and nearby plantings, the duck is a perfect icon for our rainy Washington climate. A plaque that gives the title and other information about the sculpture was provided by Tacoma Narrows Rotary Club.

Gerber is perhaps most well known for her sculpture of “Rachel,” the famous Pike Place Market pig in Seattle. Tacoma is home to her “Seal Monolith,” which stands at the corner of South 11^th and ‘A’ streets (written up in “Know your public art” column in the Jan. 21, 2010 edition of Tacoma Weekly).  Having earned her master of fine arts degree from University of Washington in 1982, Gerber thereafter embarked upon a career as a professional artist. She lives on Whidbey Island, where copies of her bronze animals populate her gardens. A studio and foundry are also on the premises.

Placed well forward of the UP city hall and library, “One Step Ahead” is now a prominent feature visible to motorists and pedestrians passing along Bridgeport Way. It is thus sure to become one of UP’s favorite landmarks for generations to come.

Contact the writer at dave@tacomaweekly.com.