Public Art & Private Commissions- Selected

I won my first art in public places (AIPP) commission in 1992 in the form of a memorial bench located at the former Aspen Art Museum grounds for $1,000. I had always wanted to work in stone and outdoors with this opportunity providing me the start in this new direction. Little did I know that this would be an important part of my collaboration with nature, in cities and towns nationwide. I began working in a simple direct method. Controlling the breaking of lengths of sandstone to create my designs worked well. Carving foam models of these designs at 1”=1’ scale gave me a chance to evaluate and adjust my projects. On site, each part was lifted via slings and front loader machines into place, where rebar was tied and concrete poured into each footer to hold them up to my specifications.

The outdoor dialogue informed all of my studio work and back again, in a tremendous call and response as each adventure effected the other. I am grateful for these commissions which became a vital revenue stream up to $300,000/commission. Without the ability to work at Swanson Stone in Sedalia, CO just outside the suburbs of Denver, these commissions would never have become form. Frank Swanson was a supportive and challenging mentor to me, pre-forming commission parts from my full sized plywood templates of each design element, then cut in his enormous, hand built wire saw. The Gathering commission, was a game changer in my AIPP experiences beginning with our cutting 270,000 lbs of limestone down to a single 18 wheeler load of finished sculpture. Design, engineering and approval took 1 year start to finish. I crashed with friends in Denver and camped out in Frank’s rock yard carving and finishing this project for another year, completing the 2 year project. It was my Master’s Program!