Client: Lafayette Elementary

Overview

National competition. Two mobiles, each 30 feet tall, installed in two separate stairwells at Lafayette Elementary. Steel wire, ecoresin, foam core, epoxy, enamel.

Goals

My goal was to create a work of art that could be used as a teaching tool for year to come. Everyday, students see the work as they go up and down the stairs, (almost unconsciously) exploring geometric or organic shapes.

Process

I help two workshops with each class of 4th and 5th graders. During the workshops each student created a maquette inspired by the idea of organic or geometric shapes. Once their maquette was complete each student created a drawing of one shape that I used as inspiration to create the finals shapes. They also helped to choose color as well. Once the shapes were cut the students help balance them in the mobiles. I also collaborated with DC Department of General Services as well as the contractor and scaffolding company to properly install the works.

Additional Information

Although the product is important (and everyone was extremely happy with the result), the process is also important to me. What I do as a collaborative artist is to give participants an ownership and pride in the work. They appreciate the work so much more because they had a hand in its creation.