As much as I love the raw wood forms, this commission requires color. Yesterday I selected the pieces for each cloud (see left) so that each one would have a mix of sizes and shapes. I also made the final color assignments for the twelve designated cloud locations and mixed the paint to match my palette. I'm working with the general colors officially approved by OSU for related projects, and added in black as a nod to their athletic team uniforms.
My proposal for this project was that each cloud would have a dominant color from the palette, with accents from the rest of the colors I'll work with. I also took the time to do some crude images that included color spots on the site photos I took a few months ago--just to make sure the combinations would work both with each other and with the bold carpet patterning in the room. The clouds will slightly wrap around corners in many locations, which is not always represented in these photos, but I make those final decisions as I install the work, letting my instincts guide me improvisationally on site. As you see in the diagram, the clouds will lead you down a hallway into the main study room. 
These three images show the clouds in the large study room. The ceilings are 12 feet high.
And two more clouds will surround the drinking fountains in the center of the ground floor, very close to where the hallway leads to the study lounge.
Ever since I first conceived and created this idea eight years ago, I thought it would be perfect for a public setting. They are abstract, yet familiar. Their placement high on the walls will help keep them safe from curious hands, and will only require a periodic dusting to maintain them.
Here's a shot I took of one of the orange clouds being painted. I will add the other color elements today to the raw parts, as described above, but made sure that the largest segment of each piece had the dominant color.
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2 comments:
So they will float on the wall, attached by a wood dowel or nail? The same piece inserted in the clouds will then go in the wall?, Nice that the walls are high, it will bring the eye up and make the space feel friendly. Great ideas. And the effort for your color choices is admirable.Well done!
They are mounted with anchor bolts and spacers so they're held out from the wall a little--I think shadows add an interesting element to this work.
As for the colors, this is a commission so I felt that it was important to make the client happy first without compromising my values too much. I found it harder to work with the carpeting than their color palette, honestly, but I think the fact that the clouds are placed so high allows for a little breathing space between the carpet and furniture and the artwork.
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