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Concept Description:
Upon my return home from Hurricane Katrina’s forced exile, my career, as with many other artists, was put on hold. I needed to find a source of income after four months of home repair. I began measuring and drawing floor plans of flooded houses for real estate agents, designers and families to get an idea of what their houses “used to look like.”

After measuring almost a hundred gutted houses, all I began to see were squares upon squares. There was nothing else. I saw the fragility on how we base our value to the “cubes’ in which we live. I also started asking that question that was on everybody’s mind, “How do you rebuild a whole community from scratch?” But, the answer kept coming back, “one house at a time.”

Those who were first to finish repairing or rebuilding, laid the first block for others to build upon. As more and more people came back, they continued with this “stacking process,” until, sure enough, we began to see the return of some of our communities. I know there is a long way to go for many, but those who have managed deserve to be proud.

Thus, the Columbia Parc figure is placed at the top of the sculpture; further solidifying it’s own meaning of growth and pride. We rebuilt in more ways than one, and we reestablished our foundation in New Orleans.

I thought about what words define a neighborhood. “Pride, Respect, Trust, Equality, Diversity, Strength and Support.” I reserved the word, “Community,” for the top spot, as that is what these other words go together to form. That is what the whole vision of Columbia Parc is about.

The physical make up of Rise consists of fabricated aluminum in various patterns of brushed or polished surfaces. The sculpture stands at sixteen feet. One word of text (written above) is placed on each of the eight cubes. Interaction by viewing from multiple views is required to read some of the words.

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Concept Description:
“The New Leaf” represents a new chapter in a historic New Orleans community.

My proposed design is one that will exemplify the rich architectural styles of New Orleans Bayou District as well as incorporate the human/tree icon graphic using an African aesthetic through form.

My work would maintain the look and feel of an area rich in history while enhancing its appeal to both residents and visitors who appreciate the uniqueness and quaintness of Columbia Parc.

As an artist, I have the experience, education and resourcefulness to create a sculpture that reflects the concept of the Columbia Parc community and incorporates the icon of the Bayou District. I am native New Orleanian and my family lives in the Bayou District neighborhood.

I propose to create a 16’ x 13’ x 3’6” sculpture fabricated of steel, aluminum and concrete. The human figure section would be made of a steel skeleton with a molded concrete exterior. The tree section would be made of aluminum plate with a laser cut filigree pattern.

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Concept Description:
My proposal for the Bayou District Identifier is a fairly literal interpretation of the logo of the development. The concept is for the tree canopy part of the image to be a giant wind spinner, with the person underneath being a static representation which surrounds the central axis.

The sculpture will be crafted of plate aluminum which is super lightweight while being extremely strong and durable. This material, when mounted on sensitive, sealed ring bearings, will easily rotate even in a mild breeze. The energy of this kinetic effect will depend on the intensity of the weather, heightening the visual interest because of the varying rates of spin. As the sculpture turns, the positive 2d planes and the voids of the negative spaces will alternate and appear to evolve from one to the other. The shiny, textured surface treatment will reflect and diffract the light, creating a flowing and mesmerizing effect on the viewer as it spins.

The canopy of the model is a proportionate copy of the silhouette of the canopy of the printed logo, with some of the negative spaces being preserved as perforations. The sculpture is to be placed on an elevated 3 ft. cubic base, resulting in a total height of this version of 17 feet. The foliage portion of this is 7 ½ feet tall, 16 feet wide, inscribing a 16 ft. diameter circle in space. The figure is six feet tall and there is a 14” gap between the top of the figure’s head and the bottom of the canopy at the central axis. Clearance from the ground to the lowest part of the rotating portion will be approximately 9 feet.