Client: CenterCal Properties

Overview

Imagine is a collection of life-size whimsical sculptures designed to encourage the dreaming of impossible dreams. Wonder and awe fill the little girl’s face as an exhilarating story comes to life before her eyes. Grandpa is utterly delighted as he sits astride a swan preparing for take off. These bronze sculptures are a site-specific design for this plaza development located in Danville, CA. A couple of years later each sculpture was recast for a new plaza and retail development located in Farmington, UT called Station Park Plaza.

Goals

The goals for this commission was to have works of art that would engage the community and those who visit Blackhawk Plaza. The way in which the sculptures are laid out within the landscape design bring balance to the water feature and also allows for a very practical approach to the story being told. Since the sculptures are taking off in flight, an actual flight pattern was created which would tell the story from take-off to landing. Each piece was created to be visible within the visual scope of the pond feature.

Process

Fred Bruning, the proprietor and developer of Blackhawk Plaza, enlisted the services of Brian Keith Fine Art to craft artworks seamlessly woven into the plaza's redevelopment blueprint. Brian dedicated two days to on-site exploration, discerning optimal design and content elements. Upon conceptualizing a design aligned with the project's aspirations, Brian presented Fred with a set of sketches illustrating each sculpture and the comprehensive layout. He wove a compelling narrative that resonated with Fred Bruning's vision for the development, positioning it as a focal point in the Danville community. Throughout the sculpture creation and landscape design phases, Brian collaborated closely with engineers, architects, and program directors, engaging in continuous discussions to determine the most suitable options. The end result has proven to be a resounding success in Danville, CA.

Additional Information

Because I work efficiently in this medium and also because of my training and experience creating life-like figures in bronze, the sculptures were completed prior to the completion of the redevelopment and within budget, like all of my past projects.