SILKMILL 145

In the Spring of 2003 I was commissioned to design and install a timeline of sorts depicting the many former inhabitants and lives of the historical building. Originally the owners envisioned a 10 FT x 10 FT area on the available wall, but it soon grew into a much more ambitious project.

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Having never worked with the Dryvit Sysytem, a type of exterior wall stucco system, I basically approached this project in the same manner as I do most of my work: Draw with the Saw! All of the forms were cut from 2 FT x 4 FT sheets of Styrofoam-like insulation material called "out-sulation," then pieced together to create the larger composition. Not aware of the actual installation procedure, which involves wrapping the entire surface with mesh and acrylic mud (stucco), I was met with horrified expressions and loud objections when I first showed the guys on the crew my sketches... Too many curving organic shapes! Once they explained the process to me, we were able to compromise on the number of curves. It proved to be a challenge well-worth the effort for all of us.

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Working 18+ hour days, I basically lived on-site and was able to complete the project in two weeks. It was one of the most exhilarating and satisfying experiences of my life.

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