Giddy-UP!

Dan, SteelFab Estimator and I are troubleshooting a set of prototypes for my 1% for Art sculpture "Bicycle Bloom."

Now that the cold and flu virus has left my body, I hopped back on my production pony. There was a lot of work to catch up on and plasma cutting to do this week. The best part was being able to get my 1% for Art Public Sculpture, “Bicycle Bloom” back in the production queue! It’s been a very long process taking a tremendous amount of patience on my part because it was a year ago this month that I was notified of my sculpture proposal being selected for the site. The sidewalk was finally poured, the base structure has been completed for the sculpture and I was able to initiate yet another new quote from SteelFab. Unfortunately, the delays caused my original two quotes to expire and become obsolete. I built in a contingency dollar amount and it’s a good thing because due to the delay and rising costs all around, my new estimate

will cost me at least another $1,000+ dollars. I didn’t want to have one more quote and production schedule in place until the sidewalk was complete and all the parties involved gave me the final go-ahead. It’s been a real team effort on this project –quite a bit different from how I’m used to working. Normally, I think of a design, lay it out, trouble shoot issues myself, solve any design problems and fabricate it all by myself. Due to the size of this public outdoor sculpture the majority of the fabrication needs to be professionally fabricated by SteelFab. Early on, the sculpture also needed to have a set of structural engineering plans by Franklin & Associates designed, submitted and approved for strength and desired visual appeal. Things like the elevation plans, footing details, welded collar design, percentage of curve, base plate mounts measurements and design, structural integrity, weld placements

etc. are items I had no idea of how to draft up nor could I have even attempted those printed plans. I have appreciated the knowledge base that has helped me to produce this sculpture so far. I was even able to score some bicycle component parts for the sculpture's embellishments. Thanks Bicycle Shop! The butterflies are still there in my stomach but at least I feel confident that I have assembled a qualified team who wants a safe, successful, and creatively unique sculpture to come in on time and on budget.

My friend Katie and her Gallery were featured in a segment on KTUU Channel 2 News last night! “Day Trippin” (on www.gotoak.com) featured the popular tourist area of downtown Anchorage on 4^th Avenue. Here is a link to the video that gives you an idea of why we love living here. Way to go Katie!!

Below is the finished sidewalk and mount for my sculpture...waiting for a beautiful steel Bloom! I read this quote in one of my art books and thought it was appropriate for me this week:

“The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” –Norman Vincent Peale