A pair of legs. Warrior’s legs, I’m sure. Maybe Roman by the look of the sandals. Brazen. This is a piece by Stephen Kaltenbach that stands near the entrance of the CSUS Alumni Center. “Only a playful ease with unease can yield pleasure and possibly reveal the complexity of an artist whose work is elusive…
Category: 1980’s
This is your city without public art
The photo above is your city without public art. This is your city with public art. Any questions? The temporary removal of 1,488 enameled tiles for a restoration project of the iconic public art mural, The Way Home, gives us a unique opportunity to see our streets as they would be if they were empty…
State of California Sculpture Plaza ~ 7th/8th & N/O
Who knew? Sacramento has a small but interesting sculpture terrace in a promising but seemingly under-used park that sits hidden atop the roof of a subterranean building on the square block bordered by 7th/8th and N/O Streets. Three of five original sculptures (all installed between 1978-1986) remain in the park surrounded by grassy slopes, trees,…
California Vietnam Veterans Memorial ~ Capitol Park
The blossoms of the weeping cherry trees that encircle the 3,750 square-foot California Vietnam Veterans Memorial bloom in April and are reportedly a spectacular site (1). The memorial sits just beyond the rose garden in the north-east corner of Capitol Park, near 15th Street and Capitol Avenue. At the entrance to the memorial, visitors first…
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…
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…
Double L Eccentric Gyratory II ~ 6th & J
“Choreography of Steel” is how Architectural Digest describes the work of kinetic sculptor George Rickey (1). This piece by Rickey on the corner of 6th & J can appear, at first glance, to be another simple, static sculpture on a downtown corner. Stop and look for a moment, and you will see that the two…
Metamorphosis Mural ~ 4th & K
The Metamorphosis mural was created by Centro de Artistas Chicanos and is located on the eastern façade of the Downtown Plaza parking lot at 3rd & L. The mural was a collaborative effort by artists Juanishi Orosco, Stan Pidilla, Esteban Villa and others in the Centro de Artistas Chicano (1). Each section of Metamorphosis represents…
The Way Home ~ 3rd & L
This beautiful mural, called The Way Home, is installed on the side of a parking garage along the western edge of downtown Sacramento and visible travelling along highway 5. Fred Uhl Ball created the mural using enameled copper tiles between 1977 and 1980 (1). Views of the Sacramento River Delta inspired this work, and the…