PORT TOWNSEND — The last work by internationally renowned blacksmith and sculptor Russell Jacqua, who died in 2006, will be dedicated Sunday as his final gift to the community he loved.
The Courtyard of Grace has become part of the Grace Lutheran Church, 1120 Walker St., and has as its centerpiece a large Jerusalem cross surrounded by slate and polished granite embedded into the floor.
The cross is surrounded by vertical granite pillars connected by benches and adorned with the ornate metalwork for which Jacqua was best known,
“This courtyard is designed to be a place of meditation for the entire community,” said Pastor Coe Hutchison.
“It is a beautiful place to visit, where you can sit and have a cup of coffee or just think.”
12:30 p.m. dedication
The dedication at 12:30 p.m. will include Jacqua’s friends and several members of the approximately 160-strong congregation to which he belonged.
In keeping with the medieval architecture of the courtyard, the celebration will include ancient liturgical rites and music.
Aside from the cross and pillars, the courtyard includes a columbarium along one side, which includes 96 compartments, each designed to store the cremated remains of two church members and their families.
Still to be constructed is a baptismal fount, in which the ritual signifying the beginning of life will be administered.
The proximity of the two will help visitors ponder life and its questions, Hutchison said, adding that “the design for the columbarium and the Courtyard of Grace is meant to accommodate the fabric of everyday life.”
Jacqua’s death
Jacqua died in June 2006 at the age of 59 after a two-year struggle with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — Lou Gehrig’s disease — a neurological degenerative disease that progressively weakens muscles and leads to death.
He planned and designed the Courtyard of Grace, though he was too weak to do much of the work, and the heavy lifting was accomplished by friends and associates.
A Port Townsend resident for 32 years, Jacqua was one of the first American artist-blacksmiths to use industrially powered hammers.
His work is visible throughout Port Townsend.
He created the sculpted metal railings for the stairs in the City Hall annex lobby, as well as “Leafwing,” the large metal sculpture at the beginning of the Larry Scott Trail — which was dedicated the week before Jacqua’s death.
Construction of the courtyard cost about $120,000, Hutchison said.
Volunteer labor
It would have been more if not for volunteer labor and additional contributions from the congregation, he added.
The Courtyard of Grace is open to anyone who wishes to visit, with no time limits or other restrictions.
It can be reached from the inside of the church or from the parking lot, making it accessible at any time, though it will not be lit at night.
“Russell designed a space that is like no other place that we experience in our lives,” Hutchison said.
“It is a place where our Christian community can celebrate our present life and our eternal life at the same time.”
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
