



Client: Austin Peay State Univesity
Location: Clarksville, TN, United States
Completion date: 2010
Artwork budget: $2,000
Project Team
Artist
Mike Helbing
helbingstudio
Client
Greg Schlanger
Overview
I was invited by the Chair of the Austin Peay State University art department to be in an invitational sculpture show. I asked if there was a place where I could put a fountain. The pool between the art building and the science building was designated.
Goals
The pool is in the middle of a walkway that is heavily travel by students going to and from classes. The spray would have to stay in the pool. We did not want wet students. This necessitated the all the nozzles point down and that the spray was large stream. This was important. I also wanted to incorporate a glistening display of large water droplets.
Process
The chair, Greg Schlanger, and I communicated over the phone and by internet on the parameters and components of the fountain. I designed and made the over 40 different nozzles for the piece and welded it together, trucked it down and with the help of some of his trusted students, set it up. The fountain sprays 6,000gallons per hour of recycled water. I always think of it as Medusa going out on the town after a day at the hair dresser and she is spitting venom. What a lady.
Additional Information
It was a joy to see and was well received by the faculty and students. We ran it in the winter and it made a wonderful ice sculpture. Medusa visited the campus for 2 years. It is currently in storage looking for a home.