In February 2024, I became aware of a call for site specific sculpture at the Keweenaw National Historical Park in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan only 4 days prior to the deadline.  I couldn’t stop thinking about it for the next two days. On day three, I started to write. I wrote until I couldn’t find any other things to say. I edited and re-organized and shaped the text into the desired format as best I could. And then I held my breath and hit the send button. – the same day I started a new job.

I was born, raised and attended college in this area of the Upper Peninsula, so, the project spoke to me on many levels.  I was thrilled to be called for an interview in March and was ecstatic to be offered the commission.  In July I traveled to Upper Michigan to do some initial scouting of the sight and research at the Michigan Tech J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library and with the Keweenaw National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service). 

I returned home to Washington and began the process of taking initial sketches through a digitization process to create the forms that are now on the landscape. I have used similar graphic design techniques in a number of previous projects.  I also communicated with Massie Manufacturing/Laser North in Baraga, MI to plan the logistics of ordering and cutting the steel forms.  When I returned to Upper Michigan in September, I visited their fabrication shop and got to witness the steel cutting.  We also planned the base concrete pours and the installation of the steel cut forms.

Installation of the 4 core-ten steel sculptures took place on September 21st with a team of 8 people and some assistance from simple machines to move them across the protected ground.  The installation was swift and successful.  In the following days, I did an artist talk at the Calumet Visitor Center, two hands on interactive workshops and we hosted a ribbon cutting at the Dry House site.

I am so pleased that the project went as well as it did, and that the local and regional community has been so very appreciative of the work.  There are hopes for the future that the art style defined in this first project can be replicated across additional park partner sites.  This would create a connecting motif to help visitors recognize the partnerships and tell stories of the immigrant workers in various settings.

See links to media coverage below.