Client

Overview

The concept behind this sculpture is the idea that what goes out into the world eventually comes back – in one way or another. It represents nostalgia and childhood memories and is part of a trilogy of large-scale sculptures (Paddleball, Popsicle and Yo-Yo) that I created to capture some of my favorite things from my childhood. And yes, the base of this piece is an exact scaled-up replica of my hand!

This steel and fiberglass sculpture stands 20 feet tall and is prominently located in downtown Seattle, right in front of the newly renovated Federal Reserve Office building. The sculpture is captivating and draws the attention of passersby upward, creating a sense of familiarity, amusement, and FUN. The fiberglass rod, which acts as the ‘elastic’ band, adds a touch of whimsy and movement to the piece.

Goals

The goal and end result of our collective efforts was to create an innovative public art piece that reminds everyone, in a fun, nostalgic and engaging way that what you put out into the universe always comes back to you – like karma in a way.

Process

To ensure stability without compromising the design, the engineering team conducted extensive material testing. This process involved both the engineering and technical teams working together to create the steel base and armature, angle of the “band” and ball – ensuring the sculpture could support the weight and lean properly.

Design and angles are everything, and the teams had to work closely with my artistic “insistence” to ensure everything aligned perfectly.