Art Collaborations with Preston Singletary and Brian Perry

December 5, 2018 by David

Collaborating

Over the last couple of years it has been my fortune to collaborate on public art projects with two exceptional artists, Brian Perry (Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe) and Preston Singletary (Tlingit) These projects have made me become a better artist and it has been a dream come true to work on a large scale with artists that I have admiration for.

"Paddles Up" sculpture at The Point Hotel and Casino by Brian Perry — “Paddles Up” sculpture at The Point Hotel and Casino by Brian Perry

Building the Skills

My art education, which began with a graffiti crew in Denver, Colorado, culminating in a decade long apprenticeship to artist Duane Pasco. Duane is one of the foremost teachers of indigenous art forms on the Northwest Coast. This apprenticeship was invaluable to my development as an artist. The disciplines gained from this training led me to a career in sculpture and large scale public art.

Over time I developed a team for tackling these kinds of projects. Kurt Nordquist of Davinci’s Workshop became my second mentor and the man who showed me how to make my ideas into a reality. He helped me find my way in the world of large scale, architecturally integrated, and free standing sculpture.

Completing Fabrication of "the Dance Staff" at Davinci's Workshop — Completing the fabrication of “the Dance Staff” at Davinci’s Workshop

Working With Brian Perry

Brian Perry and I have spent a lot of time carving and working together over the years. I have witnessed him grow and helped him develop as an artist, in part by passing on the skills I learned from Kurt and Duane. He was considering a career change when some large scale art opportunities materialized from his own Tribe, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. They were building a new casino at the time and were looking for artwork for their new hotel, The Point Casino and Hotel. Brian was interested in applying for the commissions and enlisted me to work in support of him. Brian took the lead in working with his tribe, the contractors and the architects on the project. In conjunction with this, I helped him work with my team to make it happen.

The result of this was the 40′ tall sculpture called “Paddles Up” that adorns the front of the hotel. Brian’s success led to a permanent position working for the Stillaguamish Tribe as a resident carver, teacher, and canoe-maker. He is actively providing traditional expertise to the Stillaguamish People.

Brian Perry tightening the final bolts in Place on the "Paddles Up" sculpture at The Point Hotel and Casino — Brian Perry tightening the final bolts in Place on the “Paddles Up” sculpture at The Point Hotel and Casino

Working with Preston Singletary

Much of my training as an artist was focused on art forms that originated on the coast of British Columbia and Southeastern Alaska. I had known of Preston Singletary’s work for years and was amazed by the quality of his craftsmanship and breathtaking use of color. Preston has a mastery of Tlingit design, combined with hard earned skills as part of the Studio Glass Movement.

Preston was raised in Seattle and worked with many of the preeminent contemporary glass artists of our time. He developed a style of work that I found to be a vital and enduring expression. I visited Preston’s studio and offered my services as a carver and a public artist in support of his vision. He enlisted me to help on a few things and our friendship grew. I discovered that Preston was one of the most generous and kind people I have ever had the fortune to work with. He had just scratched the surface of his public art potential, so we began to apply for projects together. We applied for several projects, and were successful in getting a couple of commissions.

Preston Singletary attending to Installation details.

First Projects Completed

Preston and I have completed two projects in the last year. “Dance Staff” at the Diane Apartments in Portland Oregon’s Pearl District, and “Sunrise Raven, Northern Lights Eagle” was completed at the Boney Courthouse in downtown Anchorage, Alaska.

Sunrise Raven and Northern Lights Eagle installation at the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage AK

Preston takes much of the lead in the design and conceptual part of the project when we collaborate. Once the idea is formed my work begins in finding the right team to bring the idea to fruition. Public art requires some dedication to navigate through all of the needs of a project. There is usually a mountain of paperwork and endless negotiations required to get the work successfully completed. I have gained a lot of experience at this process over the years of doing projects large and small.

More to come…

These collaborations have found great success and many more projects are in the works. One of the most exciting projects is a collaboration between Preston Singletary, Brian Perry and Anthony Jones Sr.(Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe) for the lobby of the new Burke Museum at the University of Washington.

While I pursue my own contemporary projects, I am fortunate to have great friends, and world class collaborators. The Regional Arts and Culture Council of Portland, Oregon and The Alaska State Council on the Arts and the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe were great partners on these projects. None of it would be possible without my amazing wife, Joanne, and my family. They have all pitched in to make this happen.

David

You Are Invited to the Drift Inversion Dedication

September 23, 2017 by David

You Are Invited!

Public Art Dedication for:

DRIFT INVERSION

Sculpture in Sandhills Prairie Park

Date: Friday, September 29, 2017 Time: 10:00 – 11:00 am

Location: 5311 North Central Park Boulevard Underpass between Fifty-Third and Fifty-Fourth Avenues

Stapleton, Colorado

Please join us for refreshments and meet the artists,

David Franklin and Aaron Whelton

RSVP: Barbara Neal barbneal@mindspring.com

David Franklin and Aaron Whelton’s Drift Inversion Installation in Denver’s new Sandhills Prairie Park

May 31, 2017 by David

When I was a kid in Colorado, my family would travel almost every weekend to my grandparents’ antique shop in Silver Plume or to the family cabin in Pine. Those drives into the Rocky Mountains always took us through tunnels that marked our ascent into a different world from the plains below. That memory played a role in my choosing the pedestrian underpass in the Sand Hills Prairie Park at Denver’s Stapleton Airport as the site for this installation with my friend and co-designer, Aaron Whelton. Located in a relatively cold, windy, and unwelcoming part of the park, this tunnel seemed like the perfect setting to create an inviting, engaging space. Our challenge was to develop a concept that related to the natural history of the area.

Long before Stapleton’s runways and facilities transformed the area into a busy urban landscape, this particular corner of the Denver metro area was covered in sand dunes. They were my inspiration for “Drift Inversion,” a 23′ x 128′ installation that turns the original landscape upside-down to create a surreal experience for any visitor who happens upon the underpass.

Design and fabrication

In a previous post I shared some of the preliminary design renderings that Aaron and I created for the project proposal. Once those were approved, we focused on working out the endless details with the City of Denver’s engineers, my engineers at IDE, and my fabricator Kurt Nordquist at DaVinci’s Workshop.

Aaron Whelton working with two monitors — Associate Professor of Architecture at Portland State University, Aaron Whelton

technical drawings for Drift Inversion by Aaron Whelton — Technical drawings for Drift Inversion by Aaron Whelton

Each of the sculpture’s 258 aluminum “fins” is unique. To keep track of their specific locations, we assigned a number to each piece to identify its place in the length of the tunnel, and a corresponding letter to identify whether it went on the north or south side. These identifiers were added as each fin was water-jet cut, and we took great care to keep consecutive numbers in groups to make the installation process easier.

Water-jet cutting pieces of the Drift Inversion sculpture from 1/4"x 4' x 12' sheets of aluminum — Cutting fins from 1/4″ x 4′ x 12′ sheets of aluminum at DaVinci’s Workshop, Burien WA

Water-jet cut pieces of aluminum that make up the Drift Inversion sculpture — Fins after the water-jet cutting process

Once the cutting was complete, Jonathan Arreola, Juan Sanchez and Joshua Arreola, at Northwest Custom Auto Body in Burien did the painting.

Painting in progress (Photo credit: Jonathan Ariola)

While Jonathan finished the painting and we readied the fins for transport to Ship/Art in Denver for warehousing, Rio Grande Co. (also in Denver) was busy gathering all the hardware and fabricating the 1,548 galvanized steel brackets we would need for the installation. In the end, the project required nearly 12,400 individual elements (nuts, bolts, washers, bushings, and other hardware) including the fins, which, by themselves, weighed nearly 16,000 pounds.

One ton of brackets and a palate of nuts and bolts and 019 feet of unistrut — One ton of brackets, a pallet of nuts and bolts, and 910 feet of Unistrut

Installation work truck — The installation work truck

Structural installation begins (despite the weather)

The pedestrian underpass that houses “Drift Inversion” provides a glorious window to the Rockies in the West and a portal for viewing incredible rainbows in the East. It also seemed to focus and intensify the weather we experienced during installation. Every kind of Colorado spring storm imaginable passed through during that two weeks: heavy snow and bitter cold, a downpour with jawbreaker-sized hail, steady rain, 80-degree days…you name it, we had it.

Work began on a frigid, windy Friday morning that evolved into a very snowy weekend. Despite the enormous challenges of working overhead in the biting cold, Mike Adcock of Adcock Concrete in Grand Junction, CO, and his helper, Alexandro, did an incredibly accurate job installing all of the structural elements that ultimately would support “Drift Inversion.”

Mike Adcock and Alexandro, from Adcock Concrete in Grand Junction, CO, install the unistrut — Mike and Alexandro installing the Unistrut with drill in anchors every 18″

My brother, Bryan Franklin, and my brother in-law, John Wilson helping Mike Adcock install the Unistrut and brackets

Unistrut and bracket installation nearly completed — Unistrut and bracket installation nearly complete

Over three days, the crew installed 1,500 brackets and nearly 1,000 feet of Unistrut.

from the left, Bryan Franklin, David Franklin, Aaron Whelton, Mike Adcock — From left: Bryan Franklin, me, Mike Adcock, and Aaron Whelton

Final assembly begins

Once all the structural elements were in place, it was up to the Franklin family and some devoted friends to install the sculpture’s 258 fins. It was a truly epic process, supported from the sidelines by many folks bearing hearty lunches and words of encouragement, including my high school friends Chris Flores and Heidi Gartland, Bruce and Tricia Gallagher, my mom, and my sister in-in law, Brooke.

The first two of 258 aluminum pieces to be installed — The first two pieces installed

Working with my brother Miles. Photo by Heidi Gartland — My brother Miles and me (Photo credit: Heidi Gartland)

Assembling Drift Inversion with Aunders Mavis — Adding another fin with Aunders Mavis

Drift Inversion in progress — The work in progress

David Franklin holding one of the Drift Inversion fins. Photo by Bryan Franklin — Just me and a fin (Photo credit: Bryan Franklin)

My Dad came to the rescue — Me and my dad, who came to the rescue

Two weeks later, after installing tons of aluminum and tightening thousands of nuts and bolts, “Drift Inversion” was complete. After two weeks of installing tons of aluminum, and tightening thousands of nuts and bolts, the project was complete.

This 23' x 128' installation is an inverted sculpture of sand dune forms. It is installed in a pedestrian underpass tunnel under Central Park Boulevard between 53rd and 54th in Denver, Colorado — The completed “Drift Inversion” installed in the pedestrian tunnel that runs under Central Park Boulevard between 53rd and 54th in Denver, CO

Panoramic view of “Drift Inversion”(photo credit: Miles Franklin)

Drift Inversion detail — “Drift Inversion” detail

Abstract photo of yellow Drift Inversion sculpture and blue sky — “Drift Inversion” (Photo credit: Miles Franklin)

A few more thanks

There were so many helping hands involved in this project. I acknowledged some people earlier in this post, but would be totally remiss if I didn’t mention the invaluable support of these folks, too: My truly amazing wife, Joanne; the quintessential art professional, Barbara Neal; Alexander Abel with Adcock Concrete; and all of the members of the Park Creek Metropolitan District Public Art Committee who made this installation possible. Thank you all!

David

New Public Art For the Port of San Diego

November 13, 2015 by David

“And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way.”

John Steinbeck-East of Eden

For the past couple of years I have been working on a major project for the Lane Field North Development in the Port of San Diego. The theme is water, and for this place it could not be a more powerful symbol. The lack of water, and at times the raging overabundance of water has been a force that has shaped California, moved its populations, created riches and hardships, and at time battles between neighbors. It is also the same story through the West and has driven people in desperation to California for its dream of the promised land. It could not be a more timeless and powerful symbol, and developments like this could not exist without out it. The Port of San Diego itself exists because of it.

When complete the sculpture will be three stories tall on the South side of the building and four on the North and divided into two 220 foot lengths. Monumental in scale, it has the Pacific Coast Highway on one side and Harbor Avenue on the other. Cruise ships and aircraft carriers park nearby and trains pass through the station across the street as well. It is a great honor to be working on this project with John Portman Associates who designed the building and LFN Developers who are making it all happen, and also to Clark Steel Fabricators who is fabricating and installing the project..

Special thanks to Aaron Whelton, Kurt Nordquist and IDE Engineers who help me realize major projects like this.

The first panels of the California Rain sculpture — The first panels of the California Rain Sculpture at Lane Field North in the Port of San Diego

Installing California Rain sculpture at Lane Field North

Land Field North From Pacific Highway in the port of San Diego — The Lane Field North Tower looking southwest from Pacific highway. The arrow points to the artwork which will eventually stretch around three sides of the building around the garage floors.

Portland Fire and Rescue Station 21 Grand Opening

March 7, 2015 by David

Friday March 6, 2015 was the open house for Portland, Oregon’s Fire Station 21 named for former Commissioner Randy Leonard. Both he and Fire Chief Erin Janssens spoke about the successful bond measure that funded the station, and Station Captain Marty Getch and his great crew that man it. She also spoke about the great team that worked so hard to build the station, which I was fortunate to be a part of.

Also in attendance was current Commissioner Dan Saltzman, the team at Whelton Architecture Aaron Whelton, David Suttle, and Mollie Buhrt who designed such an amazing facility and were instrumental in helping me with my project. Connie Johnson the project manager with the City of Portland, David Dwyer with Skanska, the contractor, Ian Eikanas with KPFF the project engineer, were there, as well as Peggy Kendellen from the Regional Arts and Culture Council who was my teammate and ally through the process. Kurt Nordquist, of Davinci’s Workshop was also in attendance, who is my good friend and fabricator extraordinaire.

Portland Fire and Rescue Chief Erin Janssens addressing the crowd at the open house for Fire Station 21

Fire Fighters in front of Fire Station 21 Portland Oregon

Former Commissioner Randy Leonard, Commissioner Dan Saltzman, Chief Erin Janssens Deputy Chief Marco Bennetti, project manager Connie Johnson, and the team from Whelton Architecture

The plaque at Fire Station 21 Portland Oregon

Fire Station 21 Dock Gate

March 1, 2015 by David

The last Piece of the Fire Station 21 project is up. It is a brand new dock gate at the Madison St. Pier on the East bank of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. It also shares the ripple treatment similar to the Rippling Wall, the facade of the station, but serves the purpose of being a fully functional security gate to protect access to the new boathouse and rescue boats used by the firefighters at Portland Fire and Rescue Station 21.

. Metal gate with rippling pattern artwork on dock Dock gate with rippling pattern artwork, Portland in background