The Dandelion

The sculpture is proposed to consist of 46 glass tetrahedral globes radiating from a stainless steel crown mounted atop a 21’ stem.  The stem is secured to a concrete bench centered on a bi-colored concrete pad (13’ in diameter) representing the plant itself.  Sealed flagpole-type canister lights recessed into the concrete will illuminate the flower crown at night.  In the daylight the glass will change constantly as the sun moves across the sky and the angle of refraction and reflection rises and falls; patterns of light and shadow will move across the floor.
      

For proposal details and project costs contact Cam at:

dsap@artapult.com    

 

 

From childhood, when we were taught to make a wish and blow the dandelion seeds out into the world to achieve it, these humble flowers represent to me ambitions and dreams fulfilled, and the world renewed.  Not just for some—the dandelion is a sturdy and successful plant, thriving in a wide range of conditions.  It is the first flower of spring in many places.  So it seems to me to be a suitable symbol for young students aspiring to establish themselves in the world.  I also see the sculpture as a place of gathering and joining—a place to sit, visit with friends and bask in the sun during academic breaks.  The bench is large enough to 4-5 young people to sit comfortably.
           

For those of you concerned about the durability of glass in an outdoor location I have made a prototype of a single glass module and stemlet for you to examine.  As you can see, glass of this weight and configuration is quite sturdy.  A sculpture of mine with comparable globes (The Totem Pole, 1985) has been in place for almost twenty years in Fallbrook, CA.  Wooden parts of the sculpture have deteriorated somewhat, but the glass is as good as the day it was installed.  Each glass globe will be sealed before mounting to insure that moisture and busy spiders are kept out, and I will supply several replacement globes “just in case.”