I decided to make a site-specific piece that would be created with a location in mind.  Applying for the Sculpture Key West show gave me the opportunity to challenge myself by pushing the scale of my work as well as my process.  I started the idea for “Emancipate I” by thinking about my memories of living on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and sitting on the beach, watching the dolphins dive through the waves with carefree joy, birds gliding effortlessly into the blue-green vastness, sails billowing in the wind and kites dancing in the air. I don’t usually make drawings before I start a new piece, but since I wanted this piece to be monumental, I knew I would have to do a lot of pre-panning and engineering. I worked with an engineer (thank you Ed Reilly!) to figure out how I could structurally bring my vision to life.  I designed and fabricated the armature, then created the forms from galvanized wire and wire screen mesh.  This was the most organic part of constructing the piece.  This is the part of my process that was important for me to retain.  I need to work from my intuition and have surprise, not knowing the outcome in advance.  I created about 25 forms of various sizes.  I could then start to see which forms “fit” together so I could begin the long, time consuming process of fiberglassing the forms.  Sometime during the process of making the piece, I had to come up with a title for print materials for the show.  I finally settled on “Emancipate” which references the release of slaves to freedom.  I am always seeking to attain freedom for myself.  I didn’t know exactly how this piece would relate to that, but the title felt right.  The piece is completely “modular”.  Each form is separate and slides onto the armature.  So, finally, five months after its conception, “Emancipate I” was complete!  It consists of 14 forms and its final height in the studio is 22 feet.  However, I did not have the equipment or space to put the entire sculpture together and would have to wait until I could install it.  I packed it up and shipped it to Florida.  Finally it was time to install the piece.  I chose the exact location, next to the water in the rocks.  I created a footing of welded steel and 1,000 pounds of concrete to support the sculpture.  I then rented a cherry picker, so I could put it all together.  Suddenly, I panicked.  How could I do this?  I am terrified of heights.  What was I thinking?  But, I couldn’t let those fears consume me, I had to just take what was in front of me and make it work.  The installation was very intense both physically and emotionally.  I could not have imagined the intensity of the conditions on the beach.  Three quarters of the way through the installation, the support in the footing weakened and the sculpture started to collapse.  Luckily, it did not sustain any major damage.  Some more welding and another day of work, it was finally up!  I decided to make some design modifications and shortened the piece to about 15 feet.  It felt right and still made the statement I envisioned. "Emancipate I" will remain on the beach in Key West through April 17.  I will then go down and de-install it and bring it back home to New York. Thanks for taking the time to find out more about my process for creating this piece.