Public Art Commissions

As an artist in residence, Jane has worked with six different grade schools in the Phoenix area to create large scale tile mural installations. The "Reading Garden" she created at the Madison Simis Elementary School earned the Crescordia award for Art in Public Places from the Valley Forward Association. These projects were funded by grants from the Arizona Arts Commission, the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture and the schools' Parent Teacher organizations.

In 2006, Jane was commissioned by Paradise Valley Community College to create a large scale public art piece for the south plaza of the Center for Performing Arts.. She designed a twelve foot tall, free-standing sculpture based on one of her abstract porcelain horse sculptures for the space. Jane worked with nine students, ceramics Instructor David Bradley, PVCC staff and administration, landscape architects, a structural engineer, a welder and Highland Foam Company  to complete the project.  The sculpture is constructed of fiberglass reinforced concrete and hand made ceramic tile over a steel and Styrofoam armature.

The columnar legs and simplified body of the blue-green stained horse become a gateway, enticing one to walk under its 7’ tall belly while a bright yellow bird rides atop the horse’s back. This over life-size, yet engaging piece is entitled “Gateway to a Life-Long Journey of Learning.”

Concrete and tile over Styrofoam and steel armature
12’ X 11’ X 3’
2007
Paradise Valley Community College Public Art Collection Phoenix AZ

Porcelain with underglaze

26" X 22" X 10"

This is the porcelain sculpture that the 12' tall horse was based on for the public art intallation.

A structural engineer designed the interior framework and a professional welder fabricated the frame out of 4" diameter steel pipe.  The basic Styrofoam form was cut by a hot wire guided by a computer at a Styrofoam manufacturing plant in Phoenix

The foam forms were cut in half vertically to fit around the steel frame. Many hours were spent refining the foam by gluing on pieces where more volume was needed and carving and shaping areas with saws and wire brushes

The legs of the steel frame were embedded in 4' deep concrete footings.

Rough foam form belted to steel
frame in place, viewed with 4'model

Final additions of mane and tail applied before gluing the foam to the steel frame

Students applying the first coat of concrete and fiberglass mesh

A student applying second coat of 1 Kote, a concrete mix with polymer, sand and chopped fiberglass fibers.

Students applying concrete and testing layout of tiles.

 Students attaching tiles with thin set mortar.

Final coat of white 1 Kote has been applied and first coat of water base cement stain is being sprayed on.

The bird is lifted into place shortly before the final coat of stain is applied

Jane, students and David Bradley honored at the Dedication Ceremony.