Synapse Tapestry installed at Albert Sherman Center

Today I received images of the Synapse Tapestry installed at the Albert Sherman Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. I will be making additional mixed media tapestries for this stairway passage.

Synapse Tapestry

completed sculpture

Over the past few days I have been completing this tapestry sculpture for a neurological research center in Boston. I shipped it off today in a bicycle box. To fit the 5ft x 4ft piece into the bicycle box, I designed the sculpture to separate into sections that snap and hook together. I have two more tapestries to make in this series.

part of assembly instructions

Detail of 3D printed element on sculpture.

Mayo Clinic Butterfly Installation

I just received a few photo of the butterfly sculptures installed at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Care Center. This was a lovely project to work on. The butterfly forms echo butterflies found in Minnesota: the Tiger Swallowtail and the Gray Comma. Here are some postings on the process of creating these pieces, early sketches , and a preliminary small model.

Mixed media butterfly sculptures installed at Cancer Care Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

Another view of butterflies installed

Neuron Tapestry Work in Progress

This weekend I am adding decorative hand stitching to a tapestry commissioned by a neurological research center. The cardboard is just for temporary support. More elements and layering of fabrics will be added but this is what is developed so far for this Synapse Tapestry for the Albert Sherman Center.

A Japanese Boys' Day Carp is taken apart and parts are incorporated into tapestry.

Butterfly Sculpture Sample

Last week I sent off a miniature sample of a butterfly sculpture and two color/sample material boards to a client. Today I heard that the design direction was approved so I am moving forward on making the final large scale sculptures.

Below: miniature sample study of butterfly sent to client:

Detail showing Chinese knot cording that will be added to the butterflies.

materials samples board include Asian food wrappers, chopstick wrappers, origami paper, organza, and tissue paper.

Butterflies for Mayo Clinic

Sketches were recently approved for the creation of two large butterfly sculpture for the Pediatric Cancer Care Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. The butterfly colors will harmonize with the carpet and furniture of the waiting area. The butterfly on the left is an interpretation of a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly and the one on the right is an interpretation of a Gray Comma. Both are found in Minnesota.

I am currently working on the wire forms for these pieces. The process begins with twisting magnet wire with electrician wire twisters and then bending this twisted wire into shape against large sketches drawn on bicycle box panels. When the wire forms are completed, they are removed from the cardboard box panels and the fabric and papers are glued and stitched on. The last stage is the application of a two part surfboard epoxy resin.

Concept Sketches for Reserch Center

Recently, I had the opportunity to submit design sketches for the creation of a large art installation to hang in the atrium of a new neurological research center. It will be exciting if this project comes to life. I would welcome the opportunity to reflect on cellular level forms in a large scale installation. A few years back I created an abstract Neuron Kimono that also reflected on neuron cells.

The wire frame of this new project would be covered with a mixture of old kimono fabrics, rice bags, recycled denim and Asian food wrappers. Layers of colored organza fabric would be stitched over the first layer of collage materials. The layered organza will reveal, in varying opacity, the textured materials below. I will also explore integrating Japanese sashiko stitching and Chinese knot cording to represent enzymes and electric impulses.

Below is the beginnings of a small scale model. Each banners will be 7 ft x 3 ft.

Thoughts of Spring

Last Wednesday I visited the John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek to see the installation of my mixed media sculpture, Thoughts of Spring. I enjoyed working with Roundtree Visuals to create this installation. Below are some images of the work installed in the 3rd floor lobby entrance to the pediatric wing. The installation is 38" x42" x 1.5". I used mostly chopstick sleeve wrappers, origami paper, and Chinese preserved fruit wrappers. A few Chinese tea wrappers and Japanese seaweed snack wrappers are included as well. Some fragments carry special meaning to me as they were from engagements with friends and family. This hospital is really beautifully designed and I was lucky to have a bit of a tour of the new wing. The interior bamboo garden was really lovely. As I was photographing the sculpture, a new mom and baby were rolled by with extended family in a celebratory mood. It was such a great feeling to know that this piece is in such a special setting.

Surfboard Resin Applied to Food Wrapper Sculpture

I have begun to apply Everclear, a surfboard resin (with UV inhibitors) to the components of the Spring Thoughts sculpture. Man, is this stuff toxic smelling! I don't have a ventilated studio, but the driveway works well enough. The catalyst doesn't work in temperatures below 65 degrees and it is 66 outside so I had to work quickly in the sun. The main flower part I will coat with the resin tomorrow. The will be 38" x 42" and 1.25" deep and will be displayed against white fabric in a plexi glass box in the third floor elevator lobby of John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek, California.

Spring Thoughts Sculpture; more process images

Central flower papered with origami paper and food wrappers as of 11/19/11

Leaves papered as of 11/19/11.

Earlier process photo.

Here are some updated process images of the Spring Thoughts sculpture. In these images, the buds and the stems and vine elements are mostly completed. I used Asian food wrappers (Chinese preserved fruit wrappers, Japanese paper chopstick wrappers, origami paper and Chinese olive wrappers.) The leaves and the main central flower are the next elements that will be worked on tonight. I am very happy to be creating art for hospitals again and creating art for neonatal and pediatric installations is particularly rewarding. This piece will be 38" x 42" x 1.25". Previous blog on this piece is at this posting. I will be experimenting with UV resistant surfboard resin as the final glaze.

Spring Thoughts Sculpture

I am in the process of creating a 38" x 42" floral sculpture commission for a hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am working with Roundtree Visuals on this project. The piece will be completed and delivered by December 1st, 2011 for framing and installation.

Step 2: The original sketch is printed at 100% scale and taped to cardboard. Wire is twisted with an electrician's  wire twisting tool and then it is formed to follow the sketch lines on the paper. Holes are punched through the cardboard  and the wire is tied down in place on the template.

Step 3: The beginnings of the leaves, stems and vine elements.

Step 4: Most of twisted wire form is completed. I am beginning to paper the form.

Step 5: Here is the sculpture, Spring Thoughts, as the wire form is beginnings to be covered with a base papering. I am using Chinese preserved fruit wrappers and will be adding fragments of other papers and food wrappers before I glaze with a two part epoxy glaze from Tap Plastics.It is difficult to see the scale here, but this piece is 38" x 42" large and 1.25" in depth.

Concept Sketches for Hospital Art Installation

I have been working on sculpture proposal sketches today for a design firm that works with hospitals. These sketches are design ideas for an installation that is 30" x 42" x 1" which would be made of wire, Asian food wrappers, plastic sushi grass, silks and produce netting. The fuzzy colored areas in the digital sketches represent produce netting. If one of these are approved, I have a month to complete the piece before installation into the hospital.

pencil sketch

digital sketch

pencil sketch

digital sketch

Flowers and leaves I created for the Neonatal Department of Boston Children's Hospital a few years ago (an upholstery swatch was provided to me to match the work to. Swatch can be seen in the photo. I wish I had an installation shot, but only have this after gazing photo in my studio).