Evantide (End of Day)

In soundless grace, a quiet forepaw stretches forward from its rock mount.  Evantide’s undulating muscle structure is smooth, but it is the riveting eyes of the cougar, the intense stare that captures the viewer. Artist Parker McDonald chose steel to create Evantide. Corten, sometimes called COR-TEN, is weathered steel that is resistant to corrosion and can form a protective layer of rust, a patina. This coating is dynamic and continues to regenerate when subjected to different weather conditions.  It is the reason it is chosen for bridge construction and enduring outdoor art sculptures.  

Parker McDonald explains his process. “I am a fabricator. Each piece is cut and welded by me, one-of-a-kind and unique”.  The fabrication process includes cutting out metal with a handheld plasma cutter, hammering the piece into shape, and welding the pieces into place.  Colorado born artist and Signature Member of the Society of Animal Artists, he has many private and public sculptures. He has contributed two pieces to the Benson Sculpture Garden in Loveland, Colorado. McDonald hopes his work uplifts viewers and honors God’s creation.

Framed by grass and trees, a rock in the northwest corner of Alviso Adobe Park on 3465 Old Foothill Rd, is the natural backdrop to Evantide. When the indigenous Ohlone roamed this land, the cougar’s prey was plentiful. ‘End of Day’ Evantide was presented to the City of Pleasanton in 2022 by Mary Sites, Nancy, and Gary Harrington through the “Harrington Art Partnership Piece for You” (H.A.P.P.Y).  Mary Sites has lived in Pleasanton since 1948. It was her volunteer work with children in Romania that inspired her contribution to public art.  

Jan Coleman-Knight