Concept to Creation - Completed public sculpture by Philip Bews and Diane Gorvin

	Concept to Creation
	Photograph by Bill and Joyce DeMeester The Rotary Centre for the Arts is a multi-purpose venue providing a wide array of activities including theatre, visual art, music and festivals. The RCA was designed by Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects and our commission is sited to take full advantage of the designated space at the south end of the new atrium. Three tall, tapering, timber Obelisks support and are linked by a graceful Arc of stainless steel tube. Each Obelisk represents an art form:- literature, visual arts and performing arts. Two of the Obelisks also support cast bronze elements, namely a large decorated Thinking Head and Acrobat, which represent the central concept of ‘creative thought’ leading to the ‘creative act’. The ensemble of sculptural elements occupy and ‘perform’ in the raised space. The stainless steel Arc forms an ‘announcing’ archway to the entrance and relates also to the curved roof of the Atrium building. Two marble podia have three pairs of shallow footprints carved into the upper surface which make reference to the three sculptures made in Kelowna by the other Symposium sculptors, Zhao Lei (pictured), Marion Lea Jamieson and Dawn MacNutt.	Commission Title: Concept to Creation Sculptors: Philip Bews, Diane Gorvin & Jonathan Yeltatzie Production Period: May - September 2002
	Site: The Rotary Centre for the Arts, Kelowna, B.C. Canada Commissioned By: Kelowna City through the Okanagan Thompson International Sculpture Symposium To see the initial proposal click here. To see photos of the work in progress, click here.	Obelisks: Western Red Cedar logs, at 4m, 4.5m and 5m high were machine sawn to the 425mm - 300mm square, tapered section. Phil carved reliefs on the sides of the obelisks at a waterfront site and was assisted by Haida Carver, John Yeltatzie who designed his own imagery. We based our themes on the Okanagan Valley. The three Obelisks were fixed by resin-bolted stainless steel brackets into previously prepared wells in the concrete base. Arc: A total length of 18m, 100mm O.D. stainless steel tube, with brush polish finish, rolled to a curve, forms the Arc. Aero Stainless installed the assemblage welding the arc in two parts to the stainless steel caps on top of the obelisks. Thinking Head and Acrobat Figure: The modelled plaster original sculptures were made by Diane and cast by Pyramid Bronze Foundry. The Thinking Head’s crown was made in the wax by Diane and attached to the head at its wax stage before investment. Podia: Donated marble blocks were supplied. Phil worked the top and base surfaces and carved four of the ‘shoe prints’ with Zhao Lei carving the pair based on his work. All elements were lifted into position by Dave’s Cranes.

Home | Up | Art+Fire | Ciresio | Concept to Creation - Completed | Concept to Creation - Work | Concept to Creation - Proposal | Echoing Wall | Olympic Circle Heads | Taizhou City | Zhengzhou