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James Garvey

Artist, forged metal
  • ABOUT
  • JG Portfolio
  • ENDORSEMENTS
    • Marc DiSuvero
    • Roger Lipsey, Scholar
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • ARTICLES
    • SIX QUESTIONS
  • WRITING: by James Garvey
    • Sculpture Forging: Syllabus
    • single thought Ink
    • Public Pearls
    • Recollections
  • CONTACT

ARCHITECTURAL metalwork

The Lariat series is based on an original form, the JG Bend; a knuckle-like form in which round bar is forged back onto it self before it proceeds in the new direction. JG Bend occurred at the forge twelve years after starting with blacksmithing. The designs include: benches, bike stand, litter stand, lot line fence and gateway, bollard, double entrance doors, street light, bollard ties, skateboard deterrent, tree guard, and  emergency access gates for pedestrian zones. Each fixture  received status as a Permanent Work of Art by New York Arts Commission; this involved multiple layers of regulatory compliance from agencies in NYC: Landmarks, DOT, Dept of Sanitation, Fire Department, MTA Engineering, and the local Community Board. The designs were installed  at three parks in New York. Within ten years, half of these were displaced. Highly motivated newcomers would lobby with the succeeding administration for a place in Manhattan to realize their career. It became apparent, the most significant criteria for longevity is, “administrative disfavor”.

 

 Lariat Street Furniture designs were conceived and realizedwith longevity that exceed the standards of industrial design.  On a city block, the deliveries, carting and construction are routine, and anything on the sidewalk that cannot move on its own will get bumped, leaned upon, or used as a chain post.  I imagine severe mishaps and work to realize fixtures that can survive in the range of 75 years plus.   I have an advantage because  I came to understand that it is necessary to unlearn fabricator mentality and realize a vocabulary with forging. The design approach is simple; the materials being used are solid. A blemish can be sanded down and the surface can be renewed. The soft corners of the JG bends are much friendlier to shin bones and fine clothing than the chipped corner of a cast planter. Armatures are made with solid bar stock, no tubing that tends to rust out from the inside. Gravity is used to perform the ‘return action’ in the Urban Monks Gate Latch; in order to simplify the components, a single pivot is designed with three-inch diameter solid stainless steel pin. There are no hinges to lubricate.  There is no need to replace moving parts. The mass is a deterrent to impulsive theft. The structural integrity makes them immune to abuse or vandalism. 

 

Hand made design is rare because it is labor-intensive; however, this economic paradigm is losing ground. There is growing recognition that community wisdom is improved as the ‘bottom line’ is displaced by the ‘quality of attention’ that is used to make things that we bring into our neighborhood. Since the Bauhaus, mass production has been the prevalent way to make public fixtures. There are remnants throughout the five boroughs: minimalism, post-modernism, ‘disneyism’, and more. On the sidewalk, a mundane mind is clever; it seeks affinity with human sentiment. If we compare the fabricated stainless steel public fixture to an object made by a living national treasure, the handmade article produces a physiological bonding because it has been realized in accordance to a profound understanding of human presence.

 

Residents have voiced a heart-felt appreciation for James Garvey designs in numerous articles; this precedent to bring handcrafted public fixtures into our streetscape has evolved for thirty years. In order to realize wide spread implementation of this approach, a commercial approach will not work. Civic administrations support local representation such as locally sourced food markets, B.I D services, and respect for ethnic cultural events. It could be possible to assemble an artisan work force by offering each individual a high value intangible such as, an interesting alternative to dull leisure activity. There is an abundance of idle attention within present day routine: high school youth after school, college students on summer break. Several retirees, boomers, have been continuous members in the James Garvey forging class. They welcome the experience; for three hours each week at an open-hearth forge doing two and three-man hand forging; they are tapering, splitting, upsetting, and drifting holes through bars as large as 3’ X 3’ solid steel.  These fellows have been paying a fee to do this for more than three years.  I imagine members of any neighborhood who would displace three hours of leisure entertainment time to be on a crew of artisans led by a master blacksmith making hand forged Lariat Litter stands at an outdoor forge facility. It could be possible to assemble an artisan work force by redirecting the attention of students, retirees, and possibly detainees. 

 

The expertise of a qualified artisan has evolved with tens of thousands of hours of practice; the articles are cultured the way an oyster creates a pearl. It is not possible to get pearls from a duck or a hen. It must be an oyster. Only an artisan can realize an aesthetic impression that will reach fellow human intellects the same way this is done by a chef, or a musician. By creating uncompromised works under the direction of a master artisan, there will be a mutual benefit. Participants gain personal satisfaction well beyond entertainment. And, by their efforts, jewels are being sewn into the fabric of our cityscape. 

 

Several of the photos in this Gallery are taken by the talented photographer Fred Gilbert

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Urban Monks Bike Stands
Urban Monks Bike Stands

Stands are forged from 1 1/2 inch round.

Base is 3 inch round with three SS anchor bolts.

Urban Monks Bike Stand have a handhold to dismount. They are securely mount onto varying slope surfaces with three ground spheres. One stand can secure three bikes.

loccation: Crosby Hotel, Manhattan

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School of Spirits Entrance 1998
School of Spirits Entrance 1998

Designed in 1998 by James Garvey, Barbara Marks and Constance Garvey.  Built in affiliation with Koenig Ironworks, NYC

 

"What part of Dwight’s campus is more symbolic and recognizable than the two double hand-forged iron front doors?  These doors, dubbed the “School of Spirits Entrance,” were designed by metalsmith artist James Garvey, former Dwight parent (Sara ’95, Constance ’98, and Noah ’99) and the husband of Dwight’s architect Barbara Marks, who consulted on the project.  The doors were donated to Dwight in 1994.

Directly atop a thick textured granite slab threshold, each door stands 9 feet by 5 feet and weighs 1,000 pounds.   For anyone who has ever crossed this portal, you know just how hard it is to open these enormous doors.  That, according to the artist, was precisely the point.  He wanted students to realize that you need to make an effort to learn, so students “are obliged to overcome their inertia in order to enter.”  This also had the double meaning that once students were inside this learning community, they would feel safe.

The ornamental design of the doors contains 90 hand-forged figures with upheld arms, interspersed with inverted spike/star-like shapes.  Reflecting Dwight’s ‘Spark of Genius’ philosophy, these doors “were designed with the theme of children as stars, whether as individuals or unified as teams, aspiring to even greater heights.”  One looking closely at the doors may notice that on each of the doors one figure looms larger than the others.  Few know that this had been a tribute to Radomir, Dwight’s larger-than-life Master Teacher who passed away last year. 

Finally, the doors make evident the long hours of hard work and craftsmanship required to produce this architectural metalwork.   This reminds students of the work ethic expected at Dwight for them to reach their potential."

 

from Dwight Today, 2007 

 

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LARIAT TAPERS at Wall Street Station
LARIAT TAPERS at Wall Street Station

Design and regulatory compliance commenced in 2004.

 Built, and installed by James Garvey 2011 .

LARIAT TAPER is derived from the Lariat Seat Loops at 33rd Street Station with two added conceits, the five-foot long forged bronze taper, and the square to round transition at the base.  This installation maintains an unbroken rhythm along nine columns on the uptown platform. This functional art work is a compliment for the 1904 precedent that lives on at this Historic National Landmark station.

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LARIAT TAPERS at the Wall Street Station
LARIAT TAPERS at the Wall Street Station

LARIAT TAPER is derived from the Lariat Seat Loops at 33rd Street Station with two added conceits, the five-foot long forged bronze taper, and the square to round transition at the base.  This installation maintains an unbroken rhythm along nine columns on the uptown platform. This functional art work is a compliment for the 1904 precedent that lives on at this Historic National Landmark station.

Lariat Tapers
Lariat Tapers

This fixture is derived from the Lariat Seat Loops at 33rd Street Station; it has two added conceits: the 60-inch forged bronze taper, and the square to round transition at the base.  This installation maintains an unbroken rhythm along nine columns on the uptown platform. The artisan’s work is a compliment for the 1904 precedent that lives on at this Historic National Landmark station.

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Lariat Seat Loops
Lariat Seat Loops

These polished bronze loops provide a good place to rest before the train arrives. Each end is tapped to receive custom bolts with tamper-proof bolt heads. In Manhattan at the 33rd Street Station, 14 lariat Seat Loops serve as a complement for this National Historic Landmark site. 

LARIAT SEAT LOOPS at the 33rd Street Station
LARIAT SEAT LOOPS at the 33rd Street Station

Designed in 1995 by James Garvey.  Built in affiliation with Koenig Ironworks, NYC

 

LARIAT SEAT LOOPS are a good place to rest for the brief period before the train arrives; the vertical bar is a handhold. At the ends, the bar swells to three inches in diameter. Each end is tapped to receive custom bolts. These are tamper proof, forged bronze, hemisphere shaped bolt heads.  The 14 lariat Seat Loops at 33rd Street Station serve as architectural earrings, a complement for this National Historic Landmark site. 

School of Spirits Entrance
School of Spirits Entrance

The entrance for the Dwight School contains 90 hand-forged figures; the transom contains crests from 25 colleges. Students are obliged to overcome the inertia of these heavy doors; it is necessary to make an effort in order to enter this place of learning. After dark, one can notice the students are among a constellation of stars. 

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Lariat Sea Wall and Lariat Gate
Lariat Sea Wall and Lariat Gate

The gate is a stately passageway providing a secure and discreet place for electronic systems and sensors that serve foot traffic. The mass enables placement without anchoring. The ‘ballast panels’ can provide seamless alcoves to house supplies such as, extinguisher, First Aid Kit, defribulator, intercom/alarm, and monitoring system. The transom area provides a place for signage, sensors, lighting, or a security camera.

            The fence is a friendly boundary that is impervious to damage by maintenance equipment. The undulating top edge provides a subtle invitation to find a place to linger and resonate with ones temperament; it also deters sitting and skateboarding. The pale work is a continuous band of interlocking currents, like the outer wall of an ancient Celtic settlement. It rises as an “S” curve defined by two inch diameter forged round bars; the affect of this continually sloping lace work feels more friendly than a vertical plane; and, as a deterrent for impulsive climbing, the slope is more effective than a vertical fence. 

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Urban Monk's Bike Stand
Urban Monk's Bike Stand

This bike stand is a minimal obstruction when not being used. Multiple pieces can be positioned as a staggered array of decorative bollards at the entrance to a building; they can absorb considerable impact by an errant vehicle. Three bikes can be secured to each stand. 

Lariat Bike Stand
Lariat Bike Stand

This stand can secure twelve bicycles. Four tethers swing out from the top of the armature enabling the area to remain obstruction free when not in use. Because it is so tall, it can be noticed well before a rider passes by. The tethers are designed to be a deterrent for horsing around; they have a soft rubber sleeve, designed to ‘not scratch’; the frame is forged steel.

Tripod Bicycle Stand
Tripod Bicycle Stand

Tripod Bicycle Stand

By James Garvey  1991

Forged steel 1/4 scale macquete for full scale version: height 18’

This is a stable structure to be made with solid materials cemented into the pedestrian surface.  The design has three suspended chains to reduce the space which the stand occupies when not in use. When it is used to its maximum, two bicycles for each chain and two bicycles for each leg, twelve bikes would increase the surround of the fixture from a 2’  to an 8’ diameter circle.  


LARIAT RUSTIC HANDRAIL in Central Park
LARIAT RUSTIC HANDRAIL in Central Park

Central Park Rustic Handrail

by James Garvey  1995

Forged steel   41  feet  long

Located along the Central Park Trail at 97th Street and Central Park West, New York City .  The rail cantilevers into the path leaving the pavement unobstructed.  A permanent public installation sponsored by Central Park Conservancy.  It is designed for longevity: using solid materials set firmly into schist bedrock, it should last well into the 22nd century.  Says Garvey, “I was inspired to make a friendly fixture that might survive as long as the fence surrounding Bowling Green in the oldest part of manhattan.”

 

 

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LARIAT HANDRAIL at Central Park
LARIAT HANDRAIL at Central Park

Located along the Central Park Trail at 97th Street and Central Park West, New York City .  The rail cantilevers into the path leaving the pavement unobstructed.  A permanent public installation sponsored by Central Park Conservancy.  It is designed for longevity: using solid materials set firmly into schist bedrock, it should last well into the 22nd century.  Says Garvey, “I was inspired to make a friendly fixture that might survive as long as the fence surrounding Bowling Green in the oldest part of manhattan.”

 COENTIES SLIP Street Furniture
COENTIES SLIP Street Furniture

COENTIES SLIP Pedestrian Space

designed by James Garvey © 1998

built in affiliation with Koenig Ironworks, NYC

 

                  Located in the Financial District of Manhattan at the intersection of Water Street and Coenties Slip this project was completed in late Spring. This lunch time public space was commissioned by the Alliance for Downtown New York, and it is the first implementation of the study conducted by the New York City Planning Commission, The Pedestrianization Program.  James Garvey worked in conjunction with The Alliance, the NYCDOT, and the NYCFD to realize this small Park.  The work included the layout of the site, the regulatory approval for the project, the design of the fixtures, building the fixtures at the Forge, and the Installation. All of the fixtures which were designed are original concepts which have been developed by James Garvey; they include: 4 Wing Surface Benches, 4 Plank Benches, 2 Lariat Access Gates, 2 Lariat Bollards, and 4 Lariat Litter Stands.

           The realization of this project is attributed to Ms. Ann Buttenweiser who acted as the Project Director for the Alliance for Downtown New York.

Wing Surface Bench
Wing Surface Bench

WING SURFACE BENCH has fan-like seating that relieves the hesitation to take a seat. The contour of the seat surface and the height of the horizontal arc provide ergonomic support at the small of the back. The corners are rounded and the surface is low.  The contour crease and the tight semicircle are a deterrent for sleeping. It can withstand inadvertent contact from maintenance equipment.  The longevity is much greater than the conventional park bench with wooden slats.

Wing Surface Bench
Wing Surface Bench

This bench has fan-like seating that relieves the hesitation to share the bench when another person is already seated. The sitting surface is faced with reprocessed neoprene. The contour of the seat and the height of the horizontal arc provide ergonomic support at the small of the back. This fixture can withstand inadvertent contact from maintenance equipment.  It does not need to be anchored.

Lariat Bollard © 1998
Lariat Bollard © 1998

A series of Lariat Bollards will make a vehicle free zone to protect pedestrians and property. The handhold is welcome, especially during slippery conditions. The surfaces are rounded and friendly. Lariat Bollards can flex in order to handle various forms of collision. The base loop acts as a curb; the steering is forced away from the fixture while the body of the vehicle is not damaged. For mishaps such as backing up, the bumper comes in contact with the belt loop;  it is capable of deflecting five inches without damaging the fixture. An out of control vehicle has considerable impact force that is absorbed in two stages; first the belt loop is deflected five inches and contacts the vertical bar; then the resistance doubles as the central stem of the Bollard bends and continues to arrest the momentum; it deflects five more inches. 

Lariat Pedestrian Zone Gate
Lariat Pedestrian Zone Gate

This gate is designed to provide emergency vehicle access to a pedestrian zone. It works under extreme conditions, even when buried by a snowplow. One end slides on a sleigh shaped foot. The pivot ring is 30 inches diameter of solid two inch round bar; it revolves on a two-foot diameter hump that has been forged into steel plate. The entire gate can be toppled by a fire-truck and repositioned afterward without damage. It does not need to be locked. This feudal technology and the awkward mass of the fixture impart a deterrent for casual use.

Lariat Bollard
Lariat Bollard

These bollards create a vehicle free zone to protect pedestrians and property. The handhold is welcome, especially during slippery conditions. Lariat Bollards are prepared to perform and survive. The base loop acts as a curb; the steering is forced away from the fixture while the body of the vehicle is not damaged. For mindless backing up, the bumper makes contacts with a horizontal loop that is designed to deflect up to five inches. Severe impact force is absorbed in two stages; first the horizontal loop deflects five inches and makes contact with the vertical bar; then, resistance doubles as the central stem flexes and continues to arrest the momentum; it too deflects; and then, the entire fixture rebounds without damage. 

Lariat Access Gate
Lariat Access Gate

The Gate Hinge has a two foot diameter ring of forged 3" round bar that pivots on a 'bump' made from 5/8" thick plate. Fire Engins need to be able to enter without delay.  The design can withstand severe traffic conditions of snowplowing.  If the gate is toppled it can be repositioned and continue to function without maintenance. 

Lariat Litter Stand
Lariat Litter Stand

The Litter stand has a friendly presence; it is an alternative to a bulky container affixed to the sidewalk. The cone restricts large articles and prevents unloading due to wind; it suspends a clear plastic bag without tearing. The fixture does not need to be anchored; the forged steel frame can endure inadvertent impact; it can flex and tumble and be repositioned. 

Lariat Litter Stand © 2001
Lariat Litter Stand © 2001

It is a friendly obstruction with soft profile and rounded surfaces. The cone suspends the plastic bag without tearing; it restricts large articles and prevents unloading due to wind. In regard for pedestrian traffic, the forged frame can withstand vehicle impact.  It is 42 inches tall, made with 2' diameter steel bar.

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Lariat Tree Guard
Lariat Tree Guard

The top hoop prevents a gnash to the bark when a car door swings open. The fixture will inevitably be hit as people maneuver to park. Compared to a rigid fixture, the Lariat Tree Guard can survive impact from parking. The ‘ground claws’ have deep spike shaped anchor rods that are driven into the earth; this makes installation friendly to the roots. There is a loose grasp upon the base ring; when there is contact, the entire fixture shifts slightly and signals the driver to stop. In addition, the vertical section of the frame is designed for torsion; this enables the top loop to resist considerable force as it flexes; and, then it can recover. The two halves of the frame assemble with a riveted lap joint; it splits in half to enable replanting. 

Lariat Tree Guard
Lariat Tree Guard

forged from 2 inch diameter silicon bronze. 

These will inevitably be hit by a parking vehicle. Compared to a rigid fixture, a Lariat Tree Guard can flex; it will endure impact from parking. Three ‘ground claws’ have a loose grasp upon the base ring; when there is contact, the entire fixture shifts slightly and signals the driver to stop. The double vertical posts are designed for torsion; it enables the top hoop to deflect five inches and recover.   The hoop is wide to allow for tree growth; it can split in half to enable replanting; this makes installation friendly to the roots. The top hoop is strong enough to serve as a seat; it prevents a gnash to the bark, as car doors swing open. The two halves of the frame assemble around the tree with a riveted lap joint. The ‘ground claws’ have anchor rods going 18 inches deep. 

Lariat Plank Bench
Lariat Plank Bench

This bench provides the same seating space as three standard park benches.  It has no rigid joint; the components are rugged; it is not vulnerable to impact by grounds equipment.  The A-frame brackets pivot; they adapt to varying slopes. They don’t need to be anchored; for the would-be thief, they are too long, too awkward, and too heavy. 

Plank Bench © 1995
Plank Bench © 1995

PLANK BENCH will adapt to varying slopes because of the A-frame structure.  It has no rigid joint; this makes it resilient when impact occurs.  They don’t need to be anchored because they are long, awkward, and heavy. The components are rugged; they can endure vehicle impact; they can flex and tumble and be repositioned. The bracket is forged 2 inch round bar, the plank is 4" X 12".

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Lariat Child Spirit's Balustrade
Lariat Child Spirit's Balustrade

Each morning, as the students arrive, these forged friends greet them. Each figure is slightly smaller than a child. 

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Kiosk
Kiosk

The Kiosk is a shelter for pedestrian services such as: information kiosk, ticket booth, or a bus stop. It can be spotted along the streetscape from three blocks away. As one approaches, there is an optical effect called, line moiré. Overlapping parallel lines appear to run into each other much faster than the rate of movement. This effect could sustain a person’s interest during their commute for a decade, or more. At night, the interior is lit and the effect is more pronounced. 

Spine Stair
Spine Stair

There is a dare at work in my mind, a visceral surge of cognitive potential. This structure alludes to a spine. As I climb the stair, I notice a stiff quiver action; by this sensation, it sustains my interest. 

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Mesa Stair
Mesa Stair

This outdoor stair is embedded into an earthwork. The landing area accommodates a generous queue. 

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Cryptic Street Lamp
Cryptic Street Lamp

The carbon fiber luminaire hovers thirty-five feet above the pedestrian surface. It contains a cloud of ionized gas that clings tightly inside and underneath the vessel; this gas is energized at night to provide general lighting. The gold-plated inner surfaces of the luminaire reflect an area of rarified light at the base that is approximately 15-feet in diameter.

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Star Planter
Star Planter

There are currents of concentrated pedestrian traffic where a senior needs to halt and rest to stabilize them self; or, where a tourist needs to hover without annoying everyone else. Star Planter is like a boulder sticking up in a mountain stream. It is a friendly obstruction assembled from reprocessed neoprene. It is forgiving upon contact. It has triangular flat surfaces slanted toward the passersby that are readily noticed by peripheral vision. A tall planting rises from the center; this provides shade to better see the screen on a hand held device. 

Windup
Windup

This tall friendly structure attracts onlookers from far away. A tether swings out from the top of the armature. The helix sheave is designed to use one’s momentum to lift off the ground in an ever faster spinning action; after a time, the momentum dissipates; gravity reverses the direction; and it unwinds, to let them down. 

Three Rounds Railing, Stainless Steel
Three Rounds Railing, Stainless Steel
Embedded Info
Embedded Info

The two-sided display screen is intended for a train platform, a narrow area with continuous flow in both directions. The face of the screen is perpendicular to the stream of passersby; this enables reading without stopping. The “s” shaped ballast stand minimizes turbulence. The thickness of the ballast enables seamless alcoves that can house supplies such as, extinguisher, First Aid Kit, defribulator, intercom/alarm, and monitoring system.

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Firebowl
Firebowl

Apparently, there is a physiological correspondence between a campfire and the cognitive process of the human mind. Fire is a ready catalyst to enhance concentration and realize meaningful contact. Ninety-nine percent of our history as a species, was discussed in firelight: contemplation, reflection, and vocal disclosure occurred with flickering flames as the witness. During conceptualization, the brain waves being produced are “alpha waves”; they are deeper, longer, and more regular than common brain waves during regular activity. The flickering flames of a campfire have the same frequency as alpha waves. The flames emerge from a cluster of concave forms that allude to places in the psyche from which primitive impressions can emerge.

Memorial Stars Sculpture
Memorial Stars Sculpture

This is a ready home for a spirit to reside. The ‘star’ that one perceives is a negative space; a 3-diminsional silhouette defined by the forged armature. Is this the way a person’s spirit is in life?

Lariat Stars
Lariat Stars

The Barrier Star can be readily positioned as a temporary obstruction for almost any vehicle. It can also serve as a crowd boundary along a parade route. Using a boom truck, a two-man team can rapidly place an effective blockade. They have a WWII predecessor known as German Hedgehogs that were on beaches of Normandy when the allies arrived. 

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Feudal Pivot Hinge
Feudal Pivot Hinge

The Gate Hinge has a two foot diameter ring of forged 3" round bar that pivots on a 'bump' made from 5/8" thick plate. Fire Engins need to be able to enter without delay.  The design can withstand severe traffic conditions of snowplowing.  If the gate is toppled it can be repositioned and continue to function without maintenance. 

WING SURFACE BENCH © 1995
WING SURFACE BENCH © 1995

WING SURFACE BENCH has fan-like seating that relieves the hesitation to take a seat. The contour of the seat surface and the height of the horizontal arc provide ergonomic support at the small of the back. The corners are rounded and the surface is low.  The contour crease and the tight semicircle are a deterrent for sleeping. It can withstand inadvertent contact from maintenance equipment.  The longevity is much greater than the conventional park bench with wooden slats.

Ziggurat Dog Run
Ziggurat Dog Run

A dog run for all breeds that is a romping fun time.  The interior tunnel sharpens their prowess, it resounds with the courageous voices of a few moments of pack mentality, with no humans in sight. 

Diaphragm Teeter-Tooter
Diaphragm Teeter-Tooter

The fulcrum is a pivot with a wide stable base. The fixture has a fabric surround that slows down the pendulum action and prevents the frame from coming down on ones’ foot. 

Off Leash Arena
Off Leash Arena

The arena creates a safe zone where little dogs can terrorize big dogs and retreat.  Openings serve to screen larger dogs. Three levels of the arena give the little dogs a chance to be eye to eye, as they plan their ambush of the larger breeds.

Flywheel Swing
Flywheel Swing

The flywheel can significantly reduce injury due to collision. It can go just as high as a conventional swing; but it goes half as fast.  During each ‘swing’, the flywheel conserves the momentum of the downward trajectory and delivers this force to the upward arc.  The force is transferred to the seat by two stiff rods.  The seat is a pneumatic construction similar to a basketball. The frame is forged steel with a heavy ballast style base; it does not need to be anchored to the pedestrian surface. 

Closure Ceremonial Burial Grounds
Closure Ceremonial Burial Grounds

Families reserve the site and conduct their ceremony of closure. These grounds are raised above eye level of passersby. The edge has a stone retaining wall with Lariat fence slanting inward; the pale work is interlocking round bars; the entrance ramp limits the access to walking or wheel chair. The benches may be arranged as needed. The well is a low dome shaped Roundel of forged steel; the pattern is an enigmatic swirl that reverses direction from the center to the outer edge; it is designed to receive cremated remains which are poured into it during the ceremony. The circumference will allow 40 people to be in the inner circle.

Miniature Manhattan Sculpture Park
Miniature Manhattan Sculpture Park

Suppose an island is built as a sculpture park that is 1/20th scale of Manhattan. It is a flat expanse of pavers; all the streets are walkways that follow the ‘one way’ direction as is set up.  The entrances are prepared where the tunnels and bridges exist. All the numbers, street names and boundary lines for each property are inlaid among the stone pavers so that any resident can find their building. The owner of each corresponding property is invited to invite an artist create a sculpture that will be on exhibit at their lot in the sculpture park. 

grand Central Sign Posts, Grand Central Station
grand Central Sign Posts, Grand Central Station

Designed by James Garvey in 2000

Built by Metro North Rail Road in 2001

Vine Motif Window Grille, 1977
Vine Motif Window Grille, 1977
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Three Rounds Handrail
Three Rounds Handrail

Forged steel painted with urethane automotive finish

Lariat Handles
Lariat Handles

When hand-holds are to be added to architectural stonework, the Lariat Handles will avoid an aesthetic compromise. They are effective as a deterrent for skateboarding. Each handhold has two JG Bends that are hand forged round bar using silicon bronze or stainless steel. They are permanently anchored; the fastening detail is seamless; this approach is effective against theft; the only exception occurred when thieves jack-hammered the granite block. 

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Sculpture - star series

What is the inspiration for these early sculptures? As a freshman in Mechanical Engineering, I was required to take a course in humanities. Each time we met, we discussed a new page of Hamlet. The writing resonates in the realm of collective intelligence; it is like the Gettysburg Address, or the Declaration of Independence, “These truths are self evident...” Shakespeare inspired me to respect sentient intelligence that can be perceived by any person, apart from academics or wealth. Reading Shakespeare is like going on a campout; everyone at the campsite appreciates a campfire when the night comes. Using secular language there is a visceral affect that is able to awaken a presence of wonder. I felt that I was a kin; I knew where the work came from in Shakespeare’s writing. I went to many art exhibits; only one piece had such a connection.  I became convinced that I can create objects that resonate as strong as the work of Shakespeare because it would come from the same place.

What is constant? There is an attention fueled by interest that is accessing a large map of impressions stored in my mind. An anonymous wit is functioning as my inner browser; then, there is a form idea that comes to mind.

Most of these pieces are made  at the Rochester Folk Art Guild,1974 to1985. I received attention from Mrs. Louise March; a teacher for a rigorous program of self development. I believe she was extraordinarily patient with me; she made it possible for me to have time and a place to develop a  "way to work".  

In 1885, Mrs. March suggested that I go to NYC; I began work at the Statue of Liberty. She took full credit for any contribution I may have made to keep the project on schedule during the replication of the armature bars. Liberty Star was conceived and built while I was working at the Statue; after work, I was a participant at the Athena Foundation, a studio opportunity conceived by Marc DiSuvero for emerging sculptors.

Liberty Star was conceived and built while I was working at the Statue; after work, I was a participant at the Athena Foundation, a studio opportunity conceived by Marc DiSuvero for emerging sculptors.

Attention Star was a breakthrough conceived twenty-two years after the start of the Star Series.  I was sitting with Barbara and Tammy waiting for a Kirosawa Movie to begin at the Film Forum.  

 Photos in this gallery are taken by the talented photographers: John Greibsh, Michael Burnett, Fred Gilbert, and Susan Bein.

Attention Star
Attention Star

ATTENTION STAR: the ‘star’ that one perceives is a negative space; a 3-diminsional silhouette defined by the forged armature. It functions as a reminder to pay attention. forged 1.75" round bar

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