Watermelon Slices

Artist

Christopher Weed

Year

2001

Location

Cottonwood Glen Park

Description

This project contains two oversized steel pieces designed by Colorado artist Christopher Weed. The sculptures are approximately 4 feet high by 8 feet long. The artist has created "larger than life" tactile sculptures to be enjoyed by children and adults. The piece creates a field in which children and adults can freely interact with the sculpture. Cottonwood Glen is a 12-acre park bordered by Spring Creek on the East, Pineridge Natural Area to the West and the Quail Hollow subdivision to the North.

Artist's Statement

"After learning about the farming history of Fort Collins, Colorado, I was inspired to create an abstract sculpture that the modern mind can connect with the enduring past. It was important to me that this piece addresses the rich and diligent history of Fort Collins' farming community while maintaining a light-hearted and uplifting sense of spirit. I was able to take a colossal part of farming history and create a timeless sculpture that the community can reflect upon and enjoy for years to come. The final result is a playful, creative, and thought-provoking sculpture. The choice to place the identical pieces at different angles from one another achieves a precarious balance, adding a sense of perpetual motion to the sculpture and provides a unique sighting of the piece from both entrances. Offering 360-degree viewing, the industrial steel rivets in place of the seeds and is inviting to touch. This creates a tactile relationship between object and viewer. It is important that the artist not fill in all the blanks, thus leaving something to the imagination. The piece I created reflects the spirit and nature of Fort Collins' history and the strong community- young and old alike."

Photos