By Rus Geh
My philosophy in designing public art is best expressed in multiple phases. Phase one is a collaboration based on listening to a patron’s narrative, a business’s mission statement, a community’s interest, and coming to a sense of place.
Phase two is personalizing the story. I try to shape it until it can be felt and understood internally. This then becomes a preliminary design and critique phase. I gather critique from people that are not affiliated with the project. Next I refine the seed images and bring them to people that are more involved with the project. Meeting public critique is a valuable tool for me. I see this as a way to verify whether my thoughts will concretely convey the necessary images.
Phase three is developing the concept into the parameters of the project. This may pertain to whether the design needs to be stand-alone and/or integrated artwork, interactive and/or static work. Equally important, is choice of material. Design considerations from the structural space must be reviewed in order to create artwork that is appropriate for its installed environment. This phase also looks into all the necessary infrastructure support for the art design. The most significant parameter is typically the project budget.
Phase four is producing the artwork. I like to be responsible for as much of the production as possible. Even though I have produced monuments for world-renowned artisans, I personally rather produce my own art. This assures quality and cost control. Fortunately I have a vast skill base to fall back onto to produce images.
Phase five is installing the images. Simply put, I prefer installing and/or overseeing the installation of my own work. I hope it is here for generations to come. As with all phases it is a collaborative process from start to finish.
This is one those art works that has been a long time in the making. Growing up, I used to collect sap from a maple grove to make maple syrup. This process has always had a very special significance in my life. The last year I made syrup was 1998, and that spring started to feel the last time I'd be doing that. I started to spend more time in that maple grove. You could feel the coming of spring, and I'd lay there on that damp earth watching the world pass by from the vantage point of those wonderful maple trees. The sound of crows was always present, and into flight their calls would take me; I would stand there, rooted to the ground, and yet soar to the heavens. The piece for me is about being grounded there in that maple grove, and because of that connection I was able to journey heaven-bound.
This one is destined for a healing arts garden. The purpose to provide a calming and uplifting visual stand alone element to hospital grounds. Finding peace within and moving to another place, hopefully uplifting, and being consumed with inner calm. Only when we are so planted on this earth can we truly appreciate leaving it. I have a wonderful sense of pride at the possibility of this piece becoming part of a hospital with such a mission of healing.