Vessel

made entirely of steel (found, reclaimed, and purchased)
17' x 31' x 22'
on display at Franconia Sculpture Park for the 2010-2011 season

installation day

So, it finally happened. After much trouble shooting, we were finally able to get this thing into place. I hadn't realized that I'd created such a monster until it came time to move it. I found, on what I thought was installation day, that my sculpture was too heavy and wide to lift as is with the crane. No worries. That just meant I had to cut it into 2 parts, move them separately, and weld them back into place on-site. So after welding on the last few pieces on the very top (scary and fun), grinding a seam that could tastefully fit back together, and driving into Minneapolis and back to pick up a fancy gas-generated welder, you better believe I was ready for action!

Almost there!

We moved the big part first. Here is Artistic Director John Hock hooking her up for some heavy lifting.

And up we go! It lifted without any problems!

Lowering onto the trailer resulted in some bending and warping, but I didn't sweat, because it wasn't anything I couldn't fix on-site.

Just going for a walk to the far side of the park.

Lowering into place. Time for part 2.

By the time both pieces were on on-site the sun had started to set...

But of course that didn't stop me from welding it back together!

getting there and goofing off

crane action

Earlier this week we fired up the crane and attached the top piece of my sculpture. A very exciting event, indeed.

a special thanks to John Hock (artistic director), Bobby Zokaites (park manager), and Tom Streit (fellow intern) for all of their gracious assistance

and the journey continues... only 2 weeks left!

coming along

Piece by piece, it's coming together. Last week I met a nice man named George who kindly snapped these photos of me working. He stopped by the park on his way up into Canada. A 10 day trip of motorcycling around Lake Superior... check out his quality travel blog HERE for photos.
Now that I've got the basic structure built, my time is spent cutting cutting cutting and welding away.

Working outside has its ups and downs. It gets pretty darn hot out here during the day time. And the nighttime mosquitoes are mildly carnivorous. Rain pours down in unexpected sheets, causing a panicked shuffle to get the high-voltage tools into the barn. But I'll tell you... the landscaped. My God, the landscape makes it all worth it. I can't help but feel more and more that my piece is becoming a part of the landscape. The backdrop of cornfields and cartoon clouds... this is something entirely new to me... and I love it.

Franconia Sculpture Park

It's been a month. And I still kind of don't even know what to say. I hesitate to try to define my experience out here with words, with the fear that it might cheapen it. Life on the park is rich. Our days are full. Work is hard. But it feels good. In such a short amount of time I've become not only a weed-whacking monster, but a grass-planting manic, a thistle-pulling beast, AND a ladder-climbing acrobat painter. 7 days a week we interns work for the park. We spend the morning doing various tasks, such as those mentioned above, and have the afternoons to work on our own sculptures. My piece is coming along. I arrived with plans and models for 2 ideas, and ditched them 2 days in. I'm much more happy with what I've conjured up.

I spent the first few days constructing this scale model. Though I was committed to the form, I was all over the place as far as materials go. I finally decided just to go with steel. Lots and lots of steel. And I plan to make so that it can be disassembled and moved to another location if the opportunity arises. Once my 1000 linear feet of #3 rebar arrived, I got to bending in no time. I prefer to bend the rod without the use of tools. I feel that by using my body I am able to get the material to do what I want it to do. It's a very physical/spiritual process... not easy to explain.

Roughly 2 weeks into my stay, my professor Jarod and his wife Jennifer stopped by to say hello. It just so happened that they were in town for a wedding, and though they both went to school out here (the University of Minnesota) they had yet to experience Franconia Sculpture Park's new location. It was really great to see them... to show them around the park, to show them what I'm working on. Very cool. Everything about this SURF project seems to be working out just right.

More in-progress photos to come!

Bubble Project prototype

All the hard work has finally paid off. The prototypes are complete! Though I've yet to see them in person, I'm thrilled at the fact that we've actually pulled it off. It wasn't an easy process. We decided, in order to save on fabrication costs, that we would build/sculpt the form onto which the bubble tiles would be vacuum formed, rather than using a CNC router.

First we made the form entirely out of plaster. In order to get the smooth, round forms we made plaster molds of rubber play balls of various sizes and cast them in plaster.

Then we sliced the solid plaster form in to 48 1/2" pieces on the bandsaw, traced each onto MDF board, and cut them out.

Once lined up and glued together, we began the tedious sanding process.

So, we left this MDF "tool" with the fabricators at MultiPlastics, and just a week or so later, these babies were ready for pick-up......

Situation Destination

While I was installing at the library, Becky Melancon, the sweet lady who organizes/coordinates the gallery space, snapped a few in-progress installation shots. Accompanying each photo is cute commentary, which is why rather than re-posting the photos here, I'd like to redirect you to the library's Saul Alexander Gallery Exibit, June 2010 flickr album... CLICK HERE to see more

For those curious as to how this piece came together...

• first the steel armature was constructed as one unit
• then I added seam lines and cut it apart into 12 pieces
• rented a U-HAUL truck to get everything to the library
• assembled parts using bailing wire... 2 at a time
  
• covered outer part of structure with plastic cling wrap
• using a spray adhesive, covered with pink fiberglass insulation (or "fluff" as I like to call it)

The day after I finished I had to go and patch a humongous hole... looked like someone had shoved their foot right through it. I've also patched several finger poked holes. As frustrating as it is (particularly because I will be gone for the remainder of the exhibition and unable to make any repairs) I can't help but feel glad that folks feel comfortable enough in the space to do as they please. I want it to be approachable and friendly. Not sterile and intimidating like most gallery environments. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that people behave and don't cause any more significant damage in the remaining 2 weeks of the piece's life!

Situation Destination

I finally finished the piece, and I must admit I'm kind of bummed... bummed that I no longer have an excuse to hang out in the gallery and talk to people and hear their reactions. That's my absolute favorite part of what I do. I've been SO happy these past couple of days. The library is the perfect place for my kind of work. I was initially concerned that it wouldn't get much exposure in the space, but I couldn't be more thrilled about the audience that it's reaching. There have been kids galore... and I really, really, really love kids. My work is very much inspired by them and their unrestrained curiosity and enthusiasm.It's really neat how the space takes on different personalities at different points in the day... at times it will be full of energy, kids running around, rolling around, dancing, etc. At other times it is more subdued and calm... a place to come and read books, to relax, or perhaps even to take a nap (had several kids tell me it made them sleepy.)

went to go get some more materials and came back to find this (!!!)

oh you know, just doing some calculus homework...

Situation Destination... a work in progress

Installation the past two days has been absolutely fantastic. It's been so rewarding getting to install in such a public space that just happens to be teeming with inquiring minds... I could go on an on... but I'm going to save that for another post ;)

My dad was in town to help me these past few days... while I was entirely engrossed in my work and unaware of his presence he happened to snap a few photos of me hard at work in the studio.

me with my model (ok, I was aware of his presence for this one)

making the very last weld

cutting apart the armature into 12 pieces (so I could get it through the door)

dirty booty...

So... I'm off to the library for one final round! I've just got to add some finishing touches and the piece will be complete!