Submission 2 – Elevate

Inspiration: Elevate is a signature, hemispherical wall sculpture inspired by nature and the beauty and freedom of birds along with individual bird shapes attached to the existing metal screens at both sides of the center/project wall. I find birds to be some of the most striking and intensely symbolic creatures on earth. Their beauty and their grace inspire me in many ways because birds are synonymous with flight, liberation, and freedom. They are the symbol of many of humanity’s hopes and dreams. The purpose of the wall sculpture is to evoke a feeling of joy and contemplation while creating a welcoming and memorable experience for everyone who visits the park.

Our main goals for this project are to

• Celebrate the park,
• Activate the space,
• Engage the community,
• Build community interest in public art,
• Increase visibility for the park,
• Create pedestrian friendly experiences,
• Visually define the park, and
• Share a positive and inspiring vision that fosters community, unity, and a deep sense of belonging

Fabrication: The artwork will be made out of .25” spun aluminum sheet. It will be seven feet in diameter, will project 3 1/2 feet out from the wall, and weighs approximately 150 pounds. The bird shapes are hand cut using a plasma cutting tool, with all edges hand ground and sanded. The sculpture is then media blasted, given a coating of epoxy primer, and finished in UV resistant industrial grade powder coat colors. A final coat of clear anti-graffiti coating will be applied to protect against all water and solvent-based paints, markers, and coatings.

The sculpture will have wide-angle, warm 3500K LED lights installed along the entire interior perimeter of the sphere. The sphere will be mounted on standoffs and separated approximately 1.5 inches from the wall the lighting, illuminating the entire interior, allowing the cutouts of the birds to glow, while also casting a glowing ring of light onto the wall behind it.