The site for this work is peppered evenly with tall Ponderosa pines, and needed a distinctive presence. I chose a circular design to create a recognizable focal point against this backdrop. Inside, a courtyard allows a more intimate view of the sculpture while also giving a new perspective on the exterior and the towering trees viewed through the many doors and windows. The work also features a double wall with a series of ten chambers, five open to the sky, and five consolidated as towers that mimic the shape of the tops of the surrounding Ponderosa pines. Visitors can walk inside this double wall, but not feel confined because lots of doors and windows give visual relief.
Working in Montana in September, we were caught up in the uncertainties of fall weather. Over our three-week stint, we experienced snow, ice, driving rain, and sun, every day a surprise.
Tree Circus
Craft in America : Nature featuring Patrick Dougherty
Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild
Artist's drawing-like stick sculpture rises in Lincoln park
October 8, 2017
Tree Circus 2017
Materials:
14 ton Willow and Alder
Dimensions: 35 foot diameter x 20 foot height.
BLACKFOOT PATHWAYS: SCULPTURE IN THE WILD
Sculpture in the Wild © 2013