Client: Machias Elementary School

Overview

Pattern Play is made up of 7 suspended cubes and four wall grids made out of flame treated stainless steel mesh, vinyl circles, glass frit spheres and silicone. The space is approximately 25′ tall. The wall grids are each 4×4′ and the suspended forms range from 16″ x 16″ to 24″ x 24″.

Goals

The primary goal of the project was to create a work with multiple elements that would engage the imaginations of a young elementary school audience, but sophisticated enough to stimulate the minds of adults as well. The site was a large cavernous library with a large open space and a sizable open wall above the book checkout area. My task was to visually enhance the entire space and create an engaging visual experience above the ground floor of the library.

Process

Pattern Play was a collaboration between me and the commissioning agency (Washington State Arts Commission) and the Machias Elementary School's advisory panel (composed of a librarian, principle, parent representative, building supervisor and school district representative). They provided me with their expectations and insights on where they would like art places and what aspects of my work they responded to the most. We all worked together to finalize the design and it was a very supportive process all the way through to the final installation. To cap off the project I gave a 30 minute (demo/lecture) to each class in the K-6 grade school. The school was very engaged in the project and I found the experience to be extremely rewarding.