A selection of public art projects.
Percolare, 2017
City of Raleigh Arts Commission. Sandy Forks Road Widening Project, Raleigh, NC.
Materials: Copper, Stainless Steel, Polished River Pebbles
Dimensions: Footprint: 130” X 78”
Element A (Tall Cone) 141” X 14” X 32”
Element B (Center Column) 224” X 24” X 30”
Element C (Short Cone) 52” X 15” X 26”
Sited beside a bio-retention pond, Percolare is designed as a response to the environmental rehabilitation integrated into this (LEED rated) Greenroads project, highlighting the passage of rain and storm water easily visible to pedestrians and automotive traffic. Composed of shapes and surfaces reminiscent of strainers and sieves, the piece mimics the distillation process occurring in the bio-retention basin. Inspired by the natural filtration process occurring in the basin, the three elements of the sculpture collect filter and release water during wet weather. During dry periods without water flow, the shapes and surfaces may remind one of distillation vessels, strainers, and sieves. Elements of the sculpture are both permeable and solid providing the means to collect and release water into the surrounding region.
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Awi-Spek, 2006
Commissioned by the Arts and Science Council - Charlotte Mecklenberg, Inc., Billingsley Medical Facility, Charlotte Mecklenberg, NC.
Concrete, permeable pavement, powder-coated aluminum, plant materials, and Trex.
Plaza dimensions: 20' x 30'. Sound Trumpet dimensions: A: 115”H x 25”D x 40”L, B: 83”H x 33”D x 46”L.
Awi-Spek sits on the north side of a bridge which connects the two sections of the Billingsley Medical campus. This refuge provides a physical place to observe the cycles of life and reaffirm patient activities while preserving and highlighting the ecosystem of indigenous plants and wildlife. The sounds of the environment can be listened to through the “ear trumpet” sculptures installed around the perimeter of the plaza area. Each trumpet is mounted on a pedestal directed upward toward the tree canopy to amplify sounds emanating from birds, rustling leaves, or creaking branches. The plaza is a tranquil place to sit and eat lunch, read or wait for an appointment. It also serves as a destination for patients to connect with nature, allowing caretakers the opportunity to structure educational programming around the resources of the woodland environment, such as bird walks that highlight sightings in order to identify and count the number of songbird species, or joining the dawn chorus to witness their singing. Patients participated in a poetry and painting workshop where they created unique designs on stones to embed in the drain-stone patio.
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Confluence, 2011
Concrete, pavers, plant materials, powder-coated steel, water.
Overall Dimensions: 225’ x 65’ x 10’
This artwork explores the inherent balance, continuity, and cycles required in the treatment of waste water. The permanent installation is sustainably designed in that it is powered by recycled electricity and air produced during the cleansing process. Confluence is integrated into the plaza north of the solids building at the Brightwater Waste Treatment Plant in Seattle, Washington. Using data derived from peak periods of water flow in the wastewater system process plant, a kinetic sculptural element called the "breathing lung" recycles water with a smooth, human motion. As the pipes make visible the scale of conveyance and water consumption, the breathing action and volume of water changes according to literal use of water over the course of a day, reinforcing the impact of human use and the ebb and flow of natural tide-pools. Beyond Confluence lies a willow garden. The volume of the willow plants represent less than one percent of the millions of gallons of water treated daily at the facility.
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Resonance, 2003-2009
Exterior porcelain tile, concrete pavers, nozzles, water. 30’ Diameter
Street and Park Road NW, Columbia Heights, Washington D.C.
Commissioned by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Resonance, a large scale Streetscape Revitalization Project in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. focuses on the kaleidoscope as a symbol of the diversity of the surrounding community. The project further emphasizes that theme by utilizing textiles from different geographic locales such as Africa, Latin America, North America and South East Asia. These concentric circles reference the ripple pattern made when droplets fall from above and the center medallions reference the culture of residents of the neighborhood.
For this project, I worked with architects to develop an urban design framework plan and construct a civic plaza that accommodates community events. Our team defined qualities of the neighborhood and public places with commercial and residential support through public meetings, surveys, and consultation with our community steering committee. The work includes a plaza with terraced grassy steps, seating elements, and an interactive mosaic-tiled fountain. Additionally, I developed a series of training workshops to mentor neighborhood artists in mosaic design, and then oversaw the fabrication and installation of 17 medallions along the 14th street corridor. This process extended the project into the neighborhood and helped the community participate in a tangible way, fostering a sense of ownership and pride over the space.