On the Level
2003-14
Recycled redwood and steel wire. Installation at Vessel Gallery, Oakland. 2014.
"On the Level" creates the impression of a grove of redwood trees floating above the fog line - reminiscent of the distinctive coastal forest ecology of Northern California.
The suspended array of coopered spindles is made from recycled old growth redwood. The array is suspended 6” above the ground and consists of 68 pieces, ranging from 4" diameter and 2.5 feet tall to 12" diameter and 8 feet tall. The ‘equator’ of each piece lies 30” above the floor level and creates a common level amongst the pieces.
This work was an exercise in mathematical permutation following a prescribed system - something akin to what the minimalist sculptors of the 60’s and 70’s might have devised. But at the same time, due to the warmth and imbedded history of the recycled Californian redwood used for the work, it generates the feeling of a densely packed grove of trees.