Nearly 5 years in the making from application to installation, this project is finally coming to a close!
A Feast of Flowers, is going to be installed in the coming days at the entrance to the newest section of the Coastal Rail Trail at the intersection of Bay and California streets on the westside of Santa Cruz. These sculptures have been in my Santa Cruz studio awaiting transplanting for over a year and it’s finally going to happen. I’ll be posting photos as things develop but as of right now, the foundations are poured, the anchor bolts are going in soon and after testing the concrete for strength, we will start transporting the sculptures to the site to install. Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes as planned!
If you want to read about the whole journey of making these pieces, click here!
About the project: A Feast of Flowers will be six ceramic and steel sculptures inspired by the umbel flower structure of fennel plants. Placed staggered along the sides of the trail and silhouetted against the sky, the installation will create a sense of whimsy and wonder for the thousands of patrons who use the trail as well as bring an awareness to our connection with nature.
My inspiration for this particular installation comes from my exploration of the natural world, and my curiosity about identifying plants, especially the edible ones. As an amateur forager, every hike in the woods has become like a trip to the grocery store for me. Fennels are one of the most recognized edibles that grow in California, available for the taking, yet there is a tendency to not trust the wild plants. This disconnect we humans have with nature, the loss of knowledge about native plants and how that relates to the global issue of food insecurity are all concepts explored with this project.
It is also my hope that whimsical oversized flowers will create a fun and dramatic impact for the area, will draw locals and tourists alike outside to connect with nature, learn about local plants and of course take a moment to stop and smell the flowers.
This project is sponsored by:
