Acceptance from the Landscape

I was able to spend a bit of time recently and give the metal structure some life, some breath.  My first attempt was in the bitter cold and wind (very difficult to plant and photograph...Ughh!)... I managed to just step away for a few days, come back when the weather was much more agreeable and was able to grab a few nice shots. First, in a modern setting with a curved steel wall with a mesh opening...then I recruited my friend David, and we loaded up the pod and headed for a more natural setting,...an old abandoned tobacco factory about 15 minutes away. This was the perfect backdrop of nature consuming industry. Old brick and stone walls toppled amongst bittersweet vine and butterflyweed. The pod finds a home! 

              triggering life upon a once desolate spot

resting in the landscape

various seed heads, arborvitae wrapped with wire, sticks and sedge

A Pod for All Seasons

What a better way to leave your mark in the landscape.  Wrapping up my last semester before graduation is taking its toll, ....HOWEVER...I still have managed to create and finish what I started.  About 2 months ago, I began sketching out designs for a 'pod-like' structure.  I wanted to really mimic nature in a way, capturing the not only the shape of what comes from Mother Earth, but also....allowing Mother to take charge of it when I am long gone....

The basic design is welded steel in many different forms. Within this design, you will see steel diamond plate, expanded steel, and steel rebar.....All manipulated and shaped to recreate the curves, cracks, bumps, and nicks that one might see occuring naturally due to weather and decay.

...the 'pod' form

steel diamond plate base

templates created out of cardboard....then trasferred to expanded metal

detail of welded supports

chainlink created out of rebar

manipulation of expanded metal really allowed for natural shapes

'tough guy' making it happen

...by adding patches of moss, the piece becomes a bit more approachable, giving it a sense of life in the landscape.....I like the idea of giving back...

As you can see, the structure is not fully completed yet. So far, The metals are all in place, however the final step will be actually planting it and giving it breath.  Within the next week, this metal 'pod' will be softened by adding, moss, flowers and seed heads. Photographs to follow...stay tuned.....