Site Specific Installations
Granitewood Duplex Houses
Spring 2020 gave me the opportunity to create additions to our Granitewood property just west of Helena, Montana. I had been thinking about a power-coated steel piece, based on others I had made in Denmark, Barcelona and for private collectors here in Helena. Duplex Houses continues my exploration of site-specific architecturally based work. The concept for this piece was to juxtapose and stack small and large iconic house forms. After selecting the appropriate site at Granitewood, I decided on human scale and bright colors. Duplex Houses is installed and await additions of material (brick, stone, porcelain) to fill its interior space. Inquiries about commissioning works of this type are welcome with prices upon request.
- Spring 2020
- 78" H x 24" x 24"
Ellensburg Gateway
Commissioned for the City of Ellensburg, Washington, the site for this project was carefully considered. the archway is meant to welcome visitors to the Ellensburg City Hall with visual images of the Ellensburg cultural and physical environment. Clay pipe produced by the Mission Clay Pipe Company anchor the piece to the site. Through a year long research process that included public engagement, visual images and descriptive text important to the Ellenburg area were collected. Gallery One / Visual Arts Center, and the Ellensburg Arts Council were instrumental in the concept of the project and raising the funds for construction. Ceramic transfer decals were produced and fired onto the porcelain tiles along with ceramic china paint for the arch. Vintage Ellensburg brick were incorporated into the design of the piece adding historical context. Wood slabs for the two benches was locally sourced.
- 2018
- Ellensburg, Washington
- 32' L x 10' H
Lime Kiln Houses
After a number of short conversations, Helena collectors Jim and Cindy Utterback invited me to visit their home and property. They had expressed interest in a large-scale piece of outdoor art that would complement their home and property. We walked the property and documented a few potential sites. On the subsequent visit I presented them with some options and after careful consideration they elected to move forward with a permanent installation of my wire-mesh House structures.
- 2017
- Utterback Collection, Helena, Montana
Helena Bike Tower
The Helena Bike Tower honors the cycling community of Helena, Montana. The genesis of the idea came about during a conversation with Pat Doyle, a leader of the cycling community in Helena and Judy Merical of the Great Northern Town Center in downtown Helena. The form of the tower is a one-half scale version of Helena’s historic downtown Fire Tower, originally built in the late 19th C. on a prominent hill as a lookout point for fires. The historic Fire Tower has become the iconic visual symbol of downtown Helena. The Great Northern Town Center generously donated a site for the tower along with a commitment to its long-term maintenance.
- 2016
- Great Northern Town Center - Helena, MT
WABA Exhibition at the Nau Gaudi Art Museum
In 2015, the members of WABA (World Association of Brick Artists) were invited to exhibit at the Nau Gaudi Art Museum in Mataro, Spain. Founding members include: Ulla Viotti (Sweden), Jacques Kaufmann (France/Switzerland), Gwen Heeney (Wales, UK), Fritz Vehring (Germany) and myself (Robert Harrison (USA/Canada) with recently added member Andrew Burton (UK).
- 2016
- Mataro, Spain
Golner Residence
Sculptural Fence, Stack and Lanterns
Commissioned by Midge and Jerry Golner for their Helena, Montana residence. The commission started with a challenge to rework the old chain link fence in the front of the house. Utilizing materials and techniques used in a number of previous sculptural works, the sculptural fence combined with the beautiful annual plants and flowers brought artistic prominence to the residence. The sculptural stack in the rear of the property created a visual connection to the front. In the summer of 2014 the sculptural lanterns added the finishing touch to exterior of the Golner residence.
- 2012 - 2014
- Helena, MT
Joe Mazurek Memorial Mural
Commissioned for the Montana State Justice Building, in Helena, Montana and unveiled in July, 2014.
This memorial area commemorates former Montana Attorney General Joe Mazurek, who inspired Department of Justice employees with his deeply held belief in the value of public service. Joe routinely ended conversations with Department of Justice employees with the phrase memorialized here: “Be happy in your work.”
- 2014
- Montana State Justice Building, Helena, Montana
- 6’ Wide x 2’ High x 1” Depth
Energy Silo
Referencing the physicality of modern steel grain silos that dot the landscape in Montana and the west, this is a reinterpreted resurrection of the silo element that I used in the Architecture of Space: Montana Vernacular at the Holter Museum of Art in 2009. The wooden structure of the piece was utilized and indigenous granite was procured from Granitewood, our property west of Helena.
- 2013
- Granitewood, Helena, Montana
- 12' Wide diameter at base x 20' High
NicStack
Commissioned and installed in April, 2013, this site-specific architectural sculpture uses local/regional construction materials (galvanized steel horse fencing and culvert pipe, aluminum tubing, brick) along with ceramic shards gathered from the Casper community. Installed over a 3 day work period with generous assistance from the Nicolaysen and Casper College.
- 2013
- Casper, Wyoming
- 36" Wide diameter at base x 10' High
- Nicolaysen Art Museum - Casper, Wyoming
Sentinal Lanterns at Cesis Castle
In July of 2013 I was invited to a brick symposium in Latvia with a group of like minded artists, including some of my WABA (World Association of Brick Artists) brick mates. Titled Meditation Light, the concept of the symposium was to incorporate some aspect of light into the brick sculptures. Arrangements had been made for us to stay in a wonderful old country house / castle in eastern Latvia, and travel to and from a Soviet era brick factory to create sculptural works from brick. The pieces we made were to be installed in the Latvian town of Cesis, with the famous 12th Century Cesis Castle at it’s heart and the birthplace of the red and white Latvian flag. Cesis Castle is a fantastic historic ruin, with an amazing history of medieval battles and romantic tales of valor. What an amazing opportunity to make, install and exhibit sculptural brick pieces.
- 2013
- Cesis, Latvia
- Each Lantern 15" Square at base x 48" High
Goldner Fence and Stack
I was challenged by M&G Golner to replace an existing nondescript fence with one that would compliment the residence. My solution was to employ my palette of familiar re-purposed materials (ABF brick, and ceramic objects and shards) and galvanized steel woven-wire fencing accented with re-claimed aluminum tubing. The flower and grass accented beds are stunning, and compliment the installed art work.
- 2012
- Helena, Montana
- Stack: 3' Wide diameter at base x 8 ' High; Fence: 4' High with 12" Diameter columns
Dos Compadres Stacks
Commissioned for the Barbara and Joseph Brinig collection in Sunsites, Arizona, this pair of stacks were sited on the property to welcome visitors to the Brinig residence and ranch. Using materials indicative of western ranches (galvanized steel culvert pipe and horse fencing, edged with aluminum tubing) Dos Compadres Stacks are filled with stone and found objects gathered from the property. The stacks have enough visual space between them to suggest independence, yet are close enough together to indicate an established relationship.
- 2012
- Sunsites, Arizona
- Each stack: 4' Daimeter at base x 9.5' High
Satre Echart Arch
Commissioned for the garden patio of the Satre Echart residence, this site-specific architectural installation is meant to frame the eastern edge of the patio and function as an entry/exit point for visitors. The piece is shoe-horned into an existing space between an indigenous shale stone wall and a portion of the garden.
- 2011
- Helena, Montana
- 6.5' Wide x 1.5' Depth at base x 9' High
Sonderborg House
Sonderborg House was designed and built during the first World Association of Brick Artists (WABA) symposium held at Petersen TEGL (brick factory) in Broager, Denmark in 2011. Sonderborg Municipality in southern Denmark along with Petersen TEGL sponsored the symposium. This part of southern Denmark (close to the northern German border) has tremendous natural clay deposits and during it’s nineteenth century heyday had over 120 brick factories lining its fjords. Today only a few factories remain in production. Brick beaches line the edges of some of the local fjords, and hundred year old brick jewels of every color, shape and description await discovery.
- 2011
- Broager, Denmark
- 3' Square at base x 4' High
Exploration Arches
Designed and built over a three year period (2007-1010), Exploration Arches are meant to intrigue and entice the viewer to enter Exploration Works: A Museum of Science and Culture in Helena, Montana. Each arch has a theme (the human body, nature and technology) that relates to educational programs run by the museum. The arches are site-specific, built on site and taper in size from the largest welcoming human body arch to the smallest technology arch just before you enter the museum.
- 2007 - 2010
- Helena, Montana
- 5' Wide x 1' Deep x 7.5' High (Smallest of 3 arches)
- ExplorationWorks: Museum of Science and Culture - Helena, Montana
Snow Catcher Arch
Snow Catcher Arch was installed at Red Deer College, in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada in 2010. The project occurred in 2 phases. The first phase was to assemble and carve 1500 wet clay brick obtained from a brick factory in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The arch was assembled in 3 parts; two tapering columns and the arch itself. Once the bricks had been stacked into the appropriate shape and size, the bricks were faceted with sharp steel palette knives. An iron oxide wash was applied to the surface and the cut and carved brick were left to set for a number of days. When the bricks were stiff enough to handle without distorting the edges, the columns and arch were disassembled for the drying period. Each brick was incised with a number as the bricks came off, and a map of the brick layers were recorded to assist in re-assembly.
- 2010
- Red Deer, Alberta
- 8' Wide x 2' Deep x 9.5' High
Gimhae Arch
I was invited to Gimhae, Korea to participate in an exhibition titled Architectural Ceramics Now & New at the Gimhae ClayArch Museum in 2009. The museum is relatively new and beautifully sited on a hillside with an agricultural below in southern Korea. The dozen + artists invited included half from Korea and the other half internationals, with some who had not or did not normally work with ceramic materials. I chose to work with fired industrially produced materials; brick and densely fired, glazed ceramic electrical insulators. An ideal site was chosen on an entry/exit path of the museum.
- 2009
- Gimhae, Korea
- 8' Wide x 2' Deep x 9.5' High
- Gimhae ClayArch Museum - Gimhae, Korea
Eucalyptical Arch
Eucalyptical Arch was installed on the campus of Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. Sited in a courtyard of eucalyptus trees and using locally produced brick that were carved, dried and fired at the ceramics department at ANU. The arch incorporates a wide variety of ceramic objects made by students and staff. Ceramics Professors Janet DeBoos and Greg Daly made generous contributions of their work to the arch project.
- 2009
- Canberra, Australia
- 8' Wide x 2' Depth x 9' High
Fuping Arch
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, mortar, rebar steel, concrete, ceramic roof tile elements
- 2008
- FULE International Ceramic Art Museums, Fuping, China
- 15’ High x 10' Wide x 4' Deep
Nicholson Arch
Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand altered brick; brick, stone, ceramic elements, mortar, concrete, rebar steel, powder-coated steel culvert pipe
- 2008
- Nicholson collection, Helena, Montana
- 15’ Long x 9’ High x 6’ Deep
Exploration Arches
Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand altered brick, brick, stone, ceramic elements, mortar, concrete, rebar steel, powder-coated steel culvert pipe, water-jet cut ceramic tile, grout
- 2007 - 2008
- Exploration Works: Museum of Science and Culture, Helena, Montana
- 11’(H)x8’(w)x2’(D)
Luna y Sola
Site-specific architectural sculpture; ceramic elements, stone, mortar, rebar steel, cement
- 2007
- Arta Park, Alassio, Italy
- 10’ High x 12’ Long x 6’ Wide
Shuli Stack
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, ceramic elements, stone, steel wire mesh, galvanized steel pipe, copper tubing; stainless steel banding
- 2007
- Snake Kiln Sculpture Park, Shuli, Taiwan
- 16’ High x 6’ Diameter at base
Hungarian Arch
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, ceramic elements, steel, concrete
- 2006
- International Ceramic Studio, Kecskemet, Hungary
- 10’ High x 10’ Wide x 3’ Deep
Quarry Tile Gateway
Site-specific architectural sculpture; concrete, rebar steel, powder-coated steel culvert pipe, water-jet cut ceramic tile, grout
- 2004 - 2006
- Quarry Tile Company, Spokane, Washington
- 16’ Long x 9’ High x 6’ Deep
Eucalyptical Stacks
Site-specific architectural sculpture; 1500 hand-altered wet clay brick and iron oxide
- 2004
- Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T., Australia
- 8' Wide x 4’ Deep x 10’ High
Kentucky Stack
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, ceramic elements, galvanized steel culvert pipe, galvanized mesh fencing, aluminum tubing
- 2004
- University of Kentucky, Lexington
- 10’ High x 3’ Diameter at base
Red Deer Colonnade
Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand altered brick, galvanized steel culvert pipe, concrete, powder-coated culvert pipe, ceramic tile
- 2002 - 2003
- Red Deer College, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
- 50' Long x 13' High x 7' Wide
Skaelskor Stack
Site-specific architectural sculpture; Danish brick, Royal Copenhagen Porcelain shards, Danish flint stone, Viking galvanized steel mesh, fabricated galvanized steel pipe
- 2003
- 17'(H)x6'(Dia.) at base
- 17' High x 6' Diameter at base
Aberystwyth Stack
Site-specific architectural sculpture; British brick, galvanized steel sheep fencing, aluminum cable tubing, galvanized steel pipe
- 2003
- International Ceramics Festival, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK
- 17' High x 6' Diameter at base
Emporiarch
Site-specific architectural sculpture; indigenous Kansas stone, galvanized culvert pipe, concrete, ceramic tile
- 2002
- Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas
- 9' High x 11' Wide x 4' Deep
Manhattan Stacks
Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand altered Kansas brick, galvanized steel culvert pipe, concrete
- 2002
- Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
- 11' High x 15' Wide x 4' Deep
Installation of Squeezed SIUE Stack
November, 2001 with the assistance of Ceramics Professor Dan Anderson and ceramics students enrolled in the ceramics program at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
- November 2001
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), Edwardsville, IL
- 16’ High x 7’ Wide x 5’ Deep
Squeezed SIUE Stack Installation
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, galvanized steel culvert pipe, galvanized steel fencing, aluminum tubing, stainless steel banding
- 2001
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), Edwardsville, IL
- 16’ High x 7’ Wide x 5’ Deep
Cassiopeia and Cephius
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, concrete, galvanized steel culvert pipe, glazed ceramic tile
- 2001
- Jundt Art Museum, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington
- 10’ High x 14’ Wide x 3' Deep
Odyssey Stack
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, galvanized steel culvert
pipe, galvanized steel fencing, aluminum tubing, glazed ceramic tile
- 2001
- Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana
- 16’ High x 6’ Diameter at base
Continuum
Site-specific architectural sculpture commission; 1600 hand-altered wet clay brick with hand-altered wet clay pipe sections. Built in conjunction with the Northern Potters Associated Ceramic Festival.
- September 2000
- University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, UK
- 10' Wide x 6' Deep x 10' High
Sculptural Elements for Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of the Shrew’
24 sculptural elements; Styrofoam, fiberglass mesh, thin-cement with acrylic compounds, color, gold leaf
- September 2000
- Montana Shakespeare Company Production, Carroll Courtyard Theatre, Helena, Montana
- size range from 2' square, to 8' Long x 1' Wide x 1' Deep to arch at 6' Wide x 2' Deep x 9' High
Bray Stacks: Narley and Pearl
Site-specific architectural sculpture; mortared brick and pipe, some dating to 1900
- 2000
- Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
- 6' Wide x 3' Deep x 9' High
Chimney Stack Pair
Site-specific architectural sculpture; unfired clay brick, stabilized cast adobe (colored with oxides)
- 2000
- BIG MUD Project during the 34th annual NCECA conference, Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, Colorado
- each stack 5' Long x 2.5' Wide x 8' High
Millennium Fire Spiral and Ice Arch
Site-specific architectural installation; presto-log briquettes, ice
- 1999 - 2000
- Millennium Celebration Event, Granitewood, Helena, Montana
- 25' Diameter at base x 9' High
Ironbridge Archway with Chimney Stacks
Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand-altered brick and pipe products, cement; built during “Creating the Yellow Brick Road” Symposium and Conference
- 1999 - 2000
- Rufford Craft Centre, Ollerton, Newark, Nottinghamshire, UK
- 40' Long x 2' Deep x 9' High
Ironbridge Archway with Chimney Stacks
Hand built elements from 8 tons of wet brick and pipe clay products, unfired and unassembled
- 1999
- Creating the Yellow Brick Road Symposium, Shrewsbury College of Art and Technology Campus, Shropshire, UK
Medaltarch
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, concrete, ceramic pipe
- 1999
- Medalta International Artists-in-Residence Program, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
- 22' Long x 6' Wide x 9' High
Constantin Arch
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, concrete, ceramic tile, steel
- 1998
- University of Dallas, Dallas, Texas
- 10' Long x 10' Wide x 9' High
Celestial Archway
Site-specific architectural sculpture; styrofoam, fiberglass mesh, thin-cement with acrylic compounds, color, gold leaf
- 1998
- 1998 Outdoor Monumental Sculpture Exhibition, Redmond, Washington
- 9' Long x 9' High x 3' Deep
Tournament Players Club Bridge
City of Scottsdale Percent-for-Art Commission site-specific design elements for the multi-lane vehicular and pedestrian TPC bridge; reinforced cast concrete, copper, ceramic tile, powder-coated steel
- 1997
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Queen City Gateway
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, concrete, steel, ceramic tile, redwood
- 1997
- City of Helena Public Art Commission, Helena, Montana
- 25' Long x 25' Wide x 9' High
Architectonic Forms
Site-specific architectural installation, in collaboration with Bruce Anderson (Adelaide, Australia); styrofoam, thin-cement, polymer, color
- 1996
- Granitewood, Helena, Montana
- 25' Diameter at base x 8' High
Zephyrus Ignis Cratera
Site-specific architectural sculpture; historic granite column sections, concrete, firebrick, steel, ceramic, indigenous slate
- 1996
- Taunt Collection Commission, Helena, Montana
- 20' Diameter at base x 9' High
Earth Archway
Site-specific architectural sculpture; copper tubing, copper elements, powder-coated steel, wood, earth, plants
- 1996
- Bellevue Downtown Park, Bellevue, Washington
- 9' High x 9' Wide x 3' Deep
Red River Passage
- 1995
- University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- 28' Long x 12' Wide x 9' High
Black Mountain Colonnade
Site-specific architectural sculpture; century old coopered redwood water pipe, brick, mortar, concrete, lava rock
- 1994
- Granitewood, Helena, Montana
- 28' Long x 14' High x 7' Deep
Gibson Gateway
Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, mortar, concrete, steel, wood, ceramic elements
- 1993
- Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art Commission, Great Falls, Montana
- 50' Long x 25' Deep x 18' High
Legacy Archway
Site-specific architectural sculpture; cast stabilized adobe, stucco, ceramic elements, powder-coated steel, cast concrete
- 1993
- Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, Washington
- 9' High x 9' Wide x 3' Deep
Tucsonarch
Site-specific architectural sculpture; cast stabilized adobe, stucco, powder-coated steel, ceramic shards
- 1991
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- 9' High x 9' Wide x 1' Deep
Columned Spiral
Site-specific architectural sculpture; glazed porcelain shards, concrete, marble
- 1989
- Kohler Sculpture Park and Arboretum, Kohler, Wisconsin
- 25' Diameter at base x 9' High
Earth Spiral
Site-specific installation; earth, sod, indigenous ground-cover, trees
- 1989
- Sheboygan, Wisconsin
- 35' Diameter at base x 2' Deep
Potter’s Shrine
Site-specific architectural sculpture; assembled brick and tile, some material dating to 1900
- 1985-1987
- Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
- 25' Diameter x 11' High
