Commissions
The Commission pages relate to memorial, subway, sports facility and public square public art commissions: The Veterans Memorial: Ontario Legislature Grounds completed 2006; Activa Sportsplex in Kitchener completed 2008; Speakers Corner, Kitchener completed in Fall of 2009 and The Pape Subway modernization project Toronto was completed by 2015.
The public commission projects required conceptual development, research, design, supplier sourcing, and execution of the images; budgeting and working in cooperation with architects, interdisciplinary teams, contractors and negotiating with key stakeholders.
The varied menu of materials, applications and conceptual approaches result in unique artistic solutions for each public project undertaken; demonstrated through the social history implications of the Veterans Memorial, the urban and architectural context of the Pape Subway project,the community end use of the Activa Sportsplex and the reclaiming of an original civic purpose relating to the Speakers Corner project.
The initial conceptual development process takes into account the unique context of each project to establish artistic content and the choosing of appropriate durable materials to express the concept.
Public Commissions
Pape Station Toronto Transit Commission
The Pape Subway art concept is based on images of existing interior architectural features of the subway and exterior neighbourhood images. The images are graphically transformed and applied in various materials i.e.: fused digital images with tempered and mirror glass, ceramic tile and etched granite and glass.
The interior art includes an extended series of 2 'x 4 'fused digital images on mirror glass, etched glass and ceramic tile. The exterior of the building will feature a 2'x 20' etched granite frieze.
City of Kitchener Speaker's Corner (2009)
The Speaker's Corner: This public art concept touches on the relocation of memory of the site presently identified as Speakers Corner. Through incorporating literal and abstract images based on source pictures of the current site, an interactive experience is provided for the viewer. The sculpture is a combination of abstracted colored porcelain tiles (anamorphosis) reflected and transformed by a cylindrical stainless steel mirror into a recognizable image of the site before the modernization process.
The granite walls contain a series of literal and abstracted images in etched granite as well as text placed strategically on the sculptural and wall elements, acting as a further reminder of the Speakers Corner site as a space for public voice.
Completion Fall 2009
Activa Sports Complex Kitchener/Waterloo (2008)
The Activa Sportsplex art concept is based on literal and abstract representations of the various athletic activities that are hosted by the venue. (Hockey, skating, lacrosse, track activities, boxing)
The images are of varying scale and materials i.e.: etched glass and etched granite, ceramic tile and back lit full color abstracts integrated into exterior and interior architectural features.
The art elements include an 8' x 24' exterior etched granite frieze. The interior applications include 70 sq ft of etched glass, a 1' x 6' ceramic tile frieze and six -4'x 3' back lit wall units.
Completed 2008
Veterans' Memorial (2006)
The Veterans Memorial, chosen from a nationwide competition and unveiled September 17, 2006; is a 30 metre long granite wall, machine and hand engraved with 45 scenes from Canada's war history from Confederation to the present day.
Designed in collaboration with architect Greg Smallenberg, the central bronze element contains poetic text by Jane Urquhart and the end bronze walls contain historical text. Other details include water jet maple leaves engraved on the plaza tiles and a red maple tree strategically placed at the back of the wall.
Completed 2006
Commissions: Downloadable PDFs
- Ontario government honours veterans with new memorial, Ministry of Government Services (www.mgs.gov.on.ca)
- Memories of War, Border Crossings, Robert Enright, Novembe, 2006
- Veterans' Memorial brochure
- Class of RMC Cadets Commissions Painting, Kingston-Whig Standard, 1993