May 31, 2011 Inspiring

http://crosscut.com/2011/03/11/arts/20712/S.A.M.’s-exhibit-of-Nick-Cave--soundsuits-:-a-smiling,-sumptuous-journey/

Nick Cave's 10 ft. high wearable sculptures are an amazing combination of colorful textiles, objects, and forms. 'One of the most inspiring exhibitions I've seen in a long time. Part conceptual art, part sculpture, part performance art

May 28, 2011 Sited

Now that there is access to the beach at Chambers Bay, more areas can be explored. The remnants of a building's walls sit like cards in the sand. This is a very linear sculpture that is perfectly sited to relate to the water, railroad tracks, and pier/walkway.

May 27, 2011 Prairie Line

The Prairie Line that cuts through downtown Tacoma is going to be converted into public space, a place for walking/biking/art viewing. The existing embedded rails have a time-worn monumental quality that could be translated into large scale sculptures.

May 24, 2011 Regularity

The cactus pads create a sculpture of segmented forms while the areoles create a regular pattern. The strength of the form is that it mixes a regular pattern with an irregular shape.

May 22, 2011 Revisit

The Rhody has opened up a bit, revealing shriveled leaves ready to unfurl. It reminds of when artichokes open, becoming new forms with their pointy leaves splayed out. Here the new form will be big, soft and flouncy.

May 20, 2011 Mosaic

This mosaic at Seattle Center captures the prickliness of pine needles and pine cones. The yellow, gold and beige tiles perfectly offset the image of the branch. Mosaics are amazing composites of colors.

May 19, 2011 Shadows

The early morning sun casts the shadow of a lilac against my drapes. Breaking up the golden color, the bush becomes larger than life. Sometimes sculptures' shadows can rival their forms.

May 17, 2011 Display

Display is an important part of the farmers market. Here the plants are juxtaposed with a Buddha sculpture; the scale works for the arrangement. When a sculpture's scale doesn't fit the location it can be really off putting, visually.

May 15, 2011

The wrinkled petals of the Rhody are beginning to emerge from the somewhat furry sepals. The combination of textures, and bright versus neutral colors, reminds me of an Alexander McQueen gown. Fashion is wearable sculpture.

May 14, 2011 Sturdiness

Raindrops weigh down and flatten the upper petals of this poppy. Many people think that sculptures need to be sturdy and able to withstand the outdoor weather, but there is a long tradition of art that is soft and pliable and not able to withstand the elements for very long. For example, origami and textile art.

May 11, 2011 Viewpoint

Because the flowers face slightly different directions, the views of their yellow and green pistils vary greatly. The volume is not readily apparent until you get a a look from the side. Sculptures come alive when they provide vastly different perspectives depending on the viewpoint.

May 8, 2011 Dynamic

The conical forms of these Hostas start off in the center very controlled. As the leaves move to the outer reaches they become a little wild and take on different shapes. The unexpected shapes point in different directions and the composition becomes dynamic.  

May 5, 2011 Bold

This close up of the tulip's stamen and the petal bases reveals a bold design. The overlapping segments don't line up perfectly, which adds to the visual appeal. Take away the yellow outline and the design loses its impact.

May 3, 2011 Works

We're so used to the iconography of tulips, represented with a perfect pointy-egg shape. I like it when they expand so that the interior becomes visible. Here the overlapping yellow/red washed petals terminate in a deep purple. The color combination doesn't sound like it would work but it clearly does.