Client: Art in Public Places, City of Aurora and Green Valley Ranch Park

Overview

Whispering Wind is the Signature Sculpture at the juncture of the 2 main paths in a new park. The sculpture has wrap-around seating and will provide an oasis for visitors so that they can stop to rest and enjoy the views. It captures the wild spirit and beauty of this stark landscape. This is a monumental sculpture. Anything smaller and more delicate would be lost in the vast landscape. The piece is 18′ long, 10′ wide, and over 23′ tall at the tip of the tallest leaf. For Whispering Wind we used stainless steel pipe, perforated stainless steel mesh, and cast glass.

Goals

Whispering Wind was designed to be a signature sculpture within a new park at Green Valley Ranch, as well as a destination and meeting point. We wanted the piece to stand out in the open landscape and reach into the sky, to be seen from a distance. There was also desire for the sculpture to be a welcoming accomadation for children. We incorporated wrap-around seating on both sides of the sculpture providing enough seating for a classrooms worth of children.

Process

We worked closely with Roberta Bloom and other members of the Public Art team in Aurora, as well as members of the community. The Aurora Public Art team is terrific, and they have a wide spectrum of exciting public works in their collection.