Completed in 2009, 12 feet tall x 8 feet wide
Shimmer Tree was created to serve as a focal point for the end of a long winding drive on a rural 5-acre parcel near Palm Springs. It also functions as a light for a 54 foot diameter concrete roundabout that is the terminus to the drive. This is the first metal work I created after years of working with wood. The piping used was galvanized chainlink fencing posts cut to the appropriate length, sanded to obtain a silvery finish and coated with a plastic resin to preserve the finish over time. The "leafs" are cut from sheets of galvanized steel used to form ductwork. What I like the most about this work is the effect produced during both day and night from the movement of the "leafs" within the slots at the end of the pipes. The slits to receive the "leafs" were purposely wider than the thickness of the galavanized sheets so that they could move back and forth. This movement creates a metallic music when the wind blows and during the daytime, the reflection of the sun on the "leafs" while the wind is blowing creates a shimmering effect like the sparkle of a diamond. At night, the spotlights mounted in the base and pointed upward create reflections that light the surrounding concrete roundabout in a soft shimmering light.
