LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.
Issue link: https://landscapearchitect.epubxp.com/i/661528
60 Landscape Architect and Specifier News Scottsdale Public Art commissioned artist Curtis Pittman to create the entry sculpture for the Scottsdale Museum of the West, which opened January 2015 in Arizona. The museum, a certified Smithsonian affiliate, is a "tribute to the art, history and culture of the 19 states that make up the American West." It features regularly changing exhibitions, events, tours, and activities that bring to life the unique stories of the people, places and events that embody Western heritage and play a role in shaping its future. Pittman was one of 65 artists who submitted a proposal for the entryway. His application stood out for its modern, ephemeral reinterpretation of the museum's Western Spirit collections, which encompass the art, history, culture, and artifacts of the American West. The sculpture was illuminated with the help of Ella Mills, founder of Biella Lighting Design based in Portland, Ore. In creating the 'Diamond Bloom' sculpture, Pittman closely studied the site to produce a work that embraced the Western Spirit idea while complementing the new museum and the modernist lines of the nearby historic Loloma Transit Station. The curving, spiky forms of 'Diamond Bloom' are reminiscent of a desert cactus flower. Radiant, changing qualities of light, shadow, and color contribute to its dynamic botanical form. Functionally, 'Diamond Bloom' is a catalyst to action; it effectively leads visitors from the adjacent parking garage through a courtyard and to the museum's main entrance. The Above The 'Diamond Bloom' sculpture is prominently located along a well-traveled exterior walkway connecting the formal entrance of the Scottsdale Museum of the West to its public parking garage in Scottsdale, Ariz. Artist Curtis Pittman said the work needed to "stimulate this urban experience." It was important to him that the artwork be appreciated for both its beauty and lighting effects. The peaks of the sculpture light up thanks to the work of Ella Mills of Biella Lighting Design. A Diamond at Scottsdale Museum of the West in the Rough Lighting by Ella Mills, Biella Lighting Design Sculpture by Curtis Pittman PHOTOS: CURTIS PITTMAN