January 2010. Slate, pigmented steel. Dimensions: 21 x 16 x 6 in (53 x 41 x 15 cm). Private Collection. South Carolina.
Thunderhead (Red Rain) is a landscape-inspired sculpture rooted in my experiences on the high plains of Wyoming, where massive storm clouds would march across the expansive landscape, releasing dramatic curtains of rain that often evaporated before reaching the ground—a phenomenon known as virga. Here, a rugged stone suggests a thunderhead, while descending red steel forms evoke falling rain, capturing the drama and atmospheric energy of western storms.
The subtitle Red Rain introduces an environmental dimension, referencing the acid rain that plagued the Adirondacks, largely caused by emissions from Midwestern power plants. This pollution left many lakes and streams unable to support fish and other aquatic life. By transforming rain into an unsettling red, the sculpture connects the grandeur of nature with the destructive consequences of human activity.
January 2010. Slate, pigmented steel. Dimensions: 21 x 16 x 6 in (53 x 41 x 15 cm). Private Collection. South Carolina.
Thunderhead (Red Rain) is a landscape-inspired sculpture rooted in my experiences on the high plains of Wyoming, where massive storm clouds would march across the expansive landscape, releasing dramatic curtains of rain that often evaporated before reaching the ground—a phenomenon known as virga. Here, a rugged stone suggests a thunderhead, while descending red steel forms evoke falling rain, capturing the drama and atmospheric energy of western storms.
The subtitle Red Rain introduces an environmental dimension, referencing the acid rain that plagued the Adirondacks, largely caused by emissions from Midwestern power plants. This pollution left many lakes and streams unable to support fish and other aquatic life. By transforming rain into an unsettling red, the sculpture connects the grandeur of nature with the destructive consequences of human activity.
examples of “virga” - rain evaporating before it reached the ground. (Right-Western U.S; L.eft-Wells, NY -Adirondacks)
