• Tweet

Stone and stainless steel
Dimensions: 8'x8'x6"
Project Agency: Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy
Artwork Location: 2920 N Lincoln Blvd
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73015

The Artwork

The history of Pharmacy has its roots in medicinal plants. Designing a piece that expresses the history of pharmacology has to illustrate a connection to nature. I am interested in articulating how information comes from our environment. This sculpture is in concert with my ambitions as an artist to cultivate a positive connection with nature.

Chemical structures emerging from a leaf connect the viewer to the history of Pharmacy by showing how we have discovered medicine in plants. Many of our most important drugs have come from nature. I worked with representatives of the Board of Pharmacy to show the actual chemical structure of drugs that they consider the most significant. The leaf is Goldenseal and the molecules around it are 5 of the most significant drugs derived from nature; Aspirin, Quinine, Penicillin, Morphine, and Theophylline.

After studying the site and walking around this area, I was drawn to the shape of the leaf. The natural shape beautifully contrasts this robust linear building, and by making it in stone and stainless steel, the permanence and stature of the building is maintained. This design was created to complement the stately architecture of the entire area. I wanted to create a piece that would be a valuable addition to the Oklahoma’s Public Art collection so I generated a piece that is durable and conceptually timeless. This piece is virtually maintenance free and can be easily restored from graffiti.

I have been creating artwork that is evocative of sustainability. I do this by integrating living organisms with forms that convey civilization. The intent of this series is to elevate the importance of finding balance with nature. I see this project as a perfect example of what observing nature has done to improve our quality of life. Observation tends to lead to preservation.