Cook Children's Hospital, NICU Rooftop Garden

After a week on a rooftop in Fort Worth, TX, Casey brought back some photos of his adventure.  This was a very cool install designed by Dunaway Associates and contracted by Linbeck Group LLC.  The whole rooftop was covered in synthetic grass that was visually pleasing yet still allowed drainage.  A small stream was constructed by using crushed blue glass and river rock.  These elements set the stage for our sculptures, over 80 pieces, to give the illusion of a meadow pond teaming with life! Since the sculptures were placed on a rubber membrane roof, base plates were made to hold each piece in place without puncturing the delicate surface.  The bases were hidden under the grass and glass.  We are thrilled with the results and hope the patients and staff that have this view from their window will be refreshing.

The Journey of a Frog

Two frogs, Bouncy and Boingy, played a spirited game of leap frog through the shop this week.  We were under a tight deadline to get these guys in a crate to Texas, so we had to move fast.  Here's how they got from point A to point B. 
A frog sculpture starts its journey as a flat layout with paper templates and some CAD drawings cut out on the water jet.  The flat sheet steel blanks are then shaped by hand with various dies in the power hammers.  Next, the pieces are fit together, trimmed, and TIG welded.  The welds are finished with the grinder and then the piece is off to paint.  In the paint department, we use automotive urethane epoxy primer, color coat, and clear to protect the sculpture from the weather.  Voila!  A frog is born.

We Made the Cover of Cone Health Magazine!

One of the many hospital art projects moving through the shop now is our "Revolution" installation for Cone Health's new Cancer Center in Greensboro, NC. This rooftop garden will be filled with a field of metal flowers and butterflies.  A central armature will hold over 1200 Monarch Butterflies that will spiral upward by a motorized base.  Our goal is to create a relaxing natural view for visitors and usher in a sense of calm and well being. Check out the article (pages 12-13) to see more!

Metal Sculpture Everywhere and Not a Place to Sit!

Metal flowers on the showroom floor, and two offices.  Metal mushrooms, ladybugs, and a 5ft steel inchworm are holding a meeting in the conference room.  Various frog sculptures are taking shape out in the shop and a sea of cattails are going green.  We are busting at the seams in preparation for our next installation for Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, TX.  So if you come to visit, watch your feet and guard your chair!

New Colors for the Monarch

Pediatrics For You is about to open their new location in Kennewick, Washington.  They came to us wanting bright whimsical sculptures to greet their patients at the entrance to their building.  Along with two four foot Gerber daisies, and a curious three foot inchworm, we created an updated version of our three foot butterfly.  We redesigned the wings to make them stronger and stenciled on the pattern for a realistic look.  It's hard to believe that almost everything on this sculpture started as flat sheet metal!  We hope that these pieces will become landmarks that drive business to our clients and become warm greeters for the patients.

Shipping today

Hitching a ride on the next truck to Chesapeake Virginia will be a set of metal cattails with two little ladybugs milling about and a fat Monarch Caterpillar perched atop an orange mushroom.  These pieces will be displayed by the Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission in their new butterfly garden downtown.  We hope these custom painted sculptures will attract both butterflies and visitors!

In Bloom

The metal flowers for our next hospital installation are now blooming all over the shop.  Over 3,000 steel day lilies are receiving bright coats of candy apple red, orange pearl, and hot pink over lemon yellow petals.  These flower heads will then screw onto various stem bases creating a field of wild flowers on the roof top of the hospital.  Up next are the daisies...