Acumen

Artist

Mark Aeling

Year

2021

Location

Northern Colorado Law Enforcement Training Center

Description

Mark Aeling, President of MGA Sculpture Studio, developed Acumen for the Northern Colorado Law Enforcement Training Center. The design process was motivated by the intended use of this training facility and historical research of Northern Colorado. This artwork symbolizes the journey required to achieve “the ability to make good judgments, take quick action and overcome challenges within a particular arena,” which is the definition of acumen.

The prehistoric Ammonite, an ancient ancestor to the Nautilus that is found in fossilized remains all over the Front Range of Colorado, was selected to embody this design
concept. Ammonites begin life in a single-cavity and as they grow, they move into successively larger cavities, known as growth chambers. The vacated growth chambers are closed off but continue to help the Ammonite float and flourish in its environment. These growth chambers increase in size exponentially as the Ammonite progresses. Training is the progressive action of teaching and learning that results in exponential growth in a particular ability or type of behavior. Acumen creates a visual metaphor between the Ammonite growth process and the intensive training methods required to develop exceptional law enforcement professionals, the purpose of Northern Colorado Law Enforcement Training Center.

This is a joint project with the City of Loveland Art in Public Places.

Photos

The sculpture lit blue at night

The sculpture and artist Mark Aeling.

The sculpture lit by the sunset during installation.

The two pieces of the sculpture are put together on location at the training center.

The sculpture being welded in the studio.

The pieces of the sculpture before assembly.