Commissioned sculpture for Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center

September 4, 2019

I’m posting on this page much less frequently these days — perhaps a symptom of having a 1-year old and a 4- year old… but I wanted to share a project that I’m really proud of. My client also commissioned a great mini-documentary about me and the sculpture was produced (more on that below).

Client:          Baptist MD Anderson Cancer, Jacksonville, FL
Title:            “Nested”
Material:       Corten (“weathering”) steel
Dimensions:   120 x 90 x 30 inches 

Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center was building a new campus in Jacksonville, Florida, and put out a RFP for a public sculpture. After being picked, I worked closely with its staff as well as the project’s architects to develop the right form and material for the project.

My aim was to create a sculpture that could be read in a number of ways, that would simultaneously uplift and bring a sense of tranquility to the patients, doctors, families, and support staff who would spend time in the building. For material, we settled on Corten steel, which is both very strong and extremely low-maintenance.

After the facility opened, one family member of a patient told me that in sculpture they saw “a mother protecting her child,” while a staff member said it made her think of “a door to better health.” I feel like these disparate reactions show the power of abstracted form.

BMDACC also commissioned a great film crew to shoot a short documentary on me and the process of creating the piece. The crew traveled both to the steel foundry I worked with in Colorado and to my studio in Santa Fe to shoot. It’s just over four minutes long, so take a look if you have a moment (or click here to view it in a new window).