Spires and Monuments
After winning a sculpture commission as part of phase 1 Denver Lower Downtown Redevelopment in the early 1990s, I embarked on a decade of creating spire-like free standing and wall relief sculptures. The original two 26 foot tall spires reflected a half century’s worth of neoclassical and revivalist architecture prevalent in early Denver history, exemplified by the Aladdin and Mayan theaters, and Union Station. Common revivalist motifs were melded together into these two aspirational monuments, proportioned to nearly disappear into the urban landscape.
I realized the stand-alone spires were oddly reminiscent of European cathedrals as well as calcium formations I had seen at Timpanogos Cave in Utah. I later created a series of small sculptural campaniles and banded obelisks. Other manifestations of these spire forms evolved organically, and came to resemble trees, boats, gates, and churches. Architectural references inform most of these later works, but reflect a sense that a wilder nature is beginning to engulf the structures.
