Why Involve the public in making public art?

4,900+ participants since 1987

People of every age, skill level and background have joined my projects.  They've assisted me with: research, concept development, rough & finish carving, sculpture building, engineering, transportation, installation, documentation and celebration.

The hands-on method of involving people is delicate.  Real participation means that the lead artist must be open to new ideas.  The project concept is explained to every new visitor.  People are generally polite, but their still say a lot. They either buy it or they don’t.  Sometimes however, through discussion, their insights can help improve a project’s clarity and impact.

Quality Control:

Most of the physical work of carving is "roughing out".   Areas to be removed are prepared with an electric saw.  Visitors, of every age and skill level, use mallets and chisels to remove them.    It is an easy and satisfying activity that smells, sounds and feels great.  There’s nothing like a dozen chisels tap-tap-tapping on a sunny summer day.

Most people are satisfied with 10 - 60 minutes of carving.  But there are always a few who catch the carving fever.  These are the ones who come back every day, stay to the bitter end, in the freezing cold and the pouring rain. By the end of a project they become accomplished carvers and good friends, helping with finish carving, stain application and varnish.

Working concept drawings are posted at the carving site during a project.  As the concept evolves, new drawings are placed next to the old ones - so people may experience the idea while it is being formed.