A stand of beautiful white-barked trees forms a soft backdrop for the Gold Rush fountain in front of the Sacramento Federal Courthouse at 501 I Street. This fountain is more than just a cascade of water; cartoonish bronze figures dot the entire plaza. Anthropomorphized animals, Native Americans, Western miners, pioneers, and even Uncle Sam, are…
Category: Sculpture
Alhambra Reservoir ~ Alhambra and K
A 400 foot aerial map wrapped around the side of the Alhambra Reservoir creates an image of the water-flow drawn from our rivers and wetlands into the reservoir then delivered from there to our communities. Michael Bishop, a Fulbright scholar and art professor at Chico State, created this piece which was installed in 2005 (1,…
Shimizu Fountains ~ 700 H
Modeled after Japanese origami forms, two very ’70s metal fountains with large burnt orange pools sit in the North and South plaza entrances to the Sacramento County Administration Building (1). These fountains, and an interior wall sculpture of a similar design, were created by Seiji Shimizu in 1977. The south plaza fountain is the smaller…
ArtTake: Arty Bike Racks Deux
ArtTakes are my mini-posts on art found in unexpected places that is often FUNctional (sculpted bike rack, painted newspaper stand, crafted business signage). Today’s arttake is a follow-up to my first post on bike racks from Feb 2011. Nick on the Town has also posted on fun bike racks around downtown in two installments: Sept…
Serendipity Fountain ~ 400 Q
Although I’m still discovering the numerous art fountains throughout the downtown area, I’m willing to bet that Serendipity by Mark di Suvero would win in the category of “Most Fun Fountain”. Serendipity sits in the park-like area near the entrance to the CalPERS building at 400 Q. The spiraling shape of the top sculpture, the…
von Schlegell Fountain ~ 300 Capitol Mall
What a happy surprise to pass Capitol Mall recently and find water cascading down the fountain at 3rd and Capitol. This 45′ tall stainless steel fountain was created by David von Schlegell whose sculptures were very influenced by his time as an aircraft engineer for the US Air Force (1). Nautical and aeronautical themes emerged…
Proteus Fountain ~ 9th & H
Summer in Sacramento, the perfect time to seek out public art in the form of fountains. A large fountain spraying cool water into the air surrounded by dozens of trees creates a nice respite in the courtyard at the entrance of the Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse. The fountain is a 32′ diameter sculpture…
Butterfield Horse ~ 5th and J
The spirit of an old Air Stream trailer lives in this sculpture by Deborah Butterfield. Butterfield has focused her 40-year career mastering her one subject, horses, and she primarily creates her pieces with found objects like wood and scrap metal. Her sculpture at 5th & J was installed in 1983 and is crafted out of…
Whiskey Wild: Steel Doors and Windows ~ 1910 Q St
Update 7/2012: The steel doors and windows have been removed as part of construction happening on the building in what looks to be preparation for opening another bar here. The lone bar near the railroad tracks at 19th & Q, Whiskey Wild, has been vacant and boarded up for years now. Driving by one day,…
Amaneceres de Sacramento ~ 16th & L
Nine beautiful sunrises (amaneceres) radiate energy along the facade what could have been an ordinary parking garage building. From the corner of 16th & J, the 16′ high cut steel grille arches, called rajas, extend down each block (1). The artpiece is called, Amaneceres de Sacramento, and it was created by Victor Mario Zaballa, an…