Lindsay's Public Art Piece

Oh my goodness. My brain is serving up little inspiration this week. I went back to the drawing board and here is my brain dump for ideas.

What do I love about Laramie?

1. Sense of community

2. Still a bit wild

3. The people that live here are gritty and willing to work to see the beauty and richness of the area

4. The wildflowers

5. It feels like a well kept secret the way it is somewhat isolated

6. History of depending on strong woman

   
   

Ways to visually express these ideas

1. Wild could be an abstract piece

1. Something including wind

1. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/74466/listen-these-7-sound-sculptures

   These are incredible...Although, not probable for this specific assignment.

2. Historic trails

1. Overland trails

2. The bone express - Pioneers would write messages on the back of Buffalo Skulls and leave them along the trail for others to read. Some were love notes, others were warnings about the trail, or even ads. 

1. https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/learn_interp_nhotic_quotes.pdf

IDEA: Create a modern buffalo skull...possibly planar to create a geometric feel, like the blue bear in Denver by Lawerance Argent. The front of the skull would be white. The underside would be hollow for people to walk around and through. Possibly allow people to write messages to loved ones...like the locks on the bridge in Paris. 

2. Wild flowers

1. Literal details but exaggerated scale?

1. https://homegrownartworks.com/illuminated-sculptures/

2. I LOVE how these pieces are lit. They remind me of the luminaries in New Mexico during the holidays. Very soft, warm light. 

IDEA: I really love our wildflowers here in WY. My favorite one is Mountain Parsley. I think some people consider it a weed, but I love how it maintains its yellow color even into winter. I would like to create oversized wild flowers of different varieties and place them in different parts of Laramie...a little mountain parsley in one part of town, and indian paintbrush in another. I think these would probably be best suited for steal though. The little one I made is wire and cast paper. 

***I wonder if I combined the wild flower with the skull. I could make three of the mountain parsley instead one?*** I realize that AGAIN, this has potential to be cliche, but I think the history behind the skull is interesting and unique to our area. Like always, I am open to suggestions. I will bring in my little maquette tomorrow.

Ashley, I am so sorry, I just saw your update. I have a maquette made, but can always shift directions.

Lindsay- look at the powerpoint I have uploaded in wyocourses and respond to the artists and work to allow you to imagine a piece.  Maybe this work should be abstract vs recognizable imagery?  You liked the plaster piece in sculpture 1- yes?  Maybe try and explore more formal concerns in this one?

Currently working on additional ideas...hopefully more original than this one...pray the art gods will bestow bounteous ideas on me... hahaha

 Hello, hello! As I considered where I would want a piece commissioned here in Laramie, I thought about downtown's plans to update/renovate Third St. Part of the plans include a road median that holds plants and art as well as some kind of "gateway" as you drive into town from 287. As I looked at various artists I thought about my time living in TX and all the fun, unique public art they had there. So I decided to look through some of Austin, TX public art online and came across these awesome owls. 

https://austin.towers.net/okay-lets-talk-about-these-new-owl-statues-in-downtown-austin/

I believe they are made of some kind of concrete/cement material, but it reminded me a lot of laminated wood. I thought it would be a fun challenge to use this aesthetic on something specific to Laramie. I decided on an Antelope since they are EVERYWHERE here. While this could be cliche, I think that by putting it in this more contemporary format it takes on an unexpected tone.  

Something I would love to "borrow" from these owl sculptures is that their bases light up! Wouldn't it be neat to drive into town, greeted by these funky pronghorns a top glowing boulders? Maybe just to me...

The laminated wood could be stained vibrant colors or kept neutral...not sure yet. I would like to lean towards a mix of colors and natural wood. The boulder could be Plexiglas (I think?) so it could be lit.