San Jose's newest landmark - Spirit Gate art project at elementary school - Brief Article

Sunset, March, 2001 by Chiori Santiago

San Jose's Spirit Gate is a bright landmark at Hester Elementary School on the Alameda. Architect-artist Bill Gould and artist Glen Rogers first got the support of neighborhood groups, then planned the project with the help of historians and students, and hired local welders and tile fabricators to construct the gate.

Mosaics inspired by children's drawings spiral around two curving, hornlike columns; the kids also came up with the words that adorn the gate's central orb--words like wisdom, honor, and vision. "It's a strong example of the collaborative process," says Leslie Aboud Holzman of the San Jose Public Art Program, which sponsored the project. Not to mention the positive spirit of children. 1460 The Alameda.