Client: City of Eureka

Overview

Underwater marine encounter with an octopus, seal, crab and salmon designed into a sculptural bench. 6.3′ x 9.2′ x 27″ 3/4″ laser cut plate steel and polyurethane paint.

Goals

3/4 Cal was part of a Waterfront improvement project along a six mile walkway around the City of Eureka's down town area. Several goals included making the work sited on a pier visible from near by down town streets and to encourage visitors to use it as a photo opportunity. I achieved these goals by using bright colors and a see through composition based on bold cut-out shapes representing four different sea creatures. The octopus's circular tentacle design engages viewers to position them self in the openings becoming part of the sculpture.

Process

I meet two city officials in the general area where the work was to be sited. My first impression was to locate the work near an existing light pole and to have the bench side of the sculpture face south. This gave a back drop of the water and harbor with boats moving in and out and day and night time light for better photos. I worked with The Ink People and a handful of city personal over the course of the project. We worked through mounting issues, sleeping abatement and making the octopus's hold on the seal more glancing then threatening.

Additional Information

The most exciting 5 months of my life since creating Field Spirit in 2010. Finishing Moon Walker was a close second.