Life of the Mind 

Concept Statement from artist:

 Omar D. Blair Charter School already had atmosphere of learning and discovery built into it, thanks to the thoughtfulness of the design team. My ideas about the artworks that now reside here were driven by the same sense of sharing and interaction. There were plenty of opportunities in this facility for one or two large individual works of art.  However, I proposed multiple, grade specific works to be placed throughout the school.

 

Most of the objects in Life of the Mind are recognizable, and highly sculptural. They are composed in a lyrical way, as if writing with objects. They are located next to the classroom entryways, like nonverbal signage. The colors are crisp, and the textures are smooth. The positioning of the forms is at eye level to the students, and can be touched. .

 

 

 

There are three Academies at Omar D. Blair Charter School:  Primary K-2, Elementary grades 3-5 and Junior grades 6-8.   Each represents a developmental plateau.  To reflect the three Academies, each received age appropriate imagery, in subject and character.  The images, and groupings of objects that I have selected are based on the following premise.  The youngest students capture the world through raw sensory input, the middle group is transitioning towards more analytical skills, and the older group is relishing their culture and demand a challenge.

 

Primary Academy (10 compositions- 80 individual elements)

Groupings of colorful cast body parts such as hands, feet, a belly, a face, a shoulder, an elbow, a knee, and an ear adorn the Primary Academy.   The molds for these forms were taken from my three kids, Shae, Mia and Jack.  In a Van Gough like twist, the ear mold was taken from myself.  But these forms are meant to acknowledge and celebrate the highly physical world of students ages 4-8 years old.

 Elementary Academy (8 compositions- 104 individual elements)

These forms are like 3-D mathematical puzzles.  The pieces of the puzzle tessellate and play against one another in both size and color.  Each composition is monochromatic and reflects variations in value through facets in the surface of each piece.  All of the compositions are asymmetrical, yet balanced, in an effort to challenge the comfort zone of students ages 8-11 years old.

 Junior Academy (13 compositions plus lenses and imagery)

Glossy over sized brains in a variety of bright colors, including chartreuse green, are clearly visible when entering the Junior Academy.  Embedded in the surface of the brains is a magnifying lens.  And behind the lens is a small object or image that references historical figures, or the specific subject of the lab it hangs next to.  The brain forms have a clear sense of humor, and effectively get to the point of why the students are there.

 Omar D. Blair Charter School has made some progressive steps in architectural development and facility sharing. The artwork embraces the same progressive feel. Life of the Mind is designed to ignite learning, and to create a strong connection to place.  It is not designed to fill an atrium or a plaza; it is at the students’ level, and it is my attempt at mainlining public art.