David Tonnesen | Colorado Sculpture Commissions

2009-10-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

one of the two Allium sculptures in the courtyard

2009-05-21T05:08:00.001-07:00

2009-05-21T05:02:00.001-07:00

2009-05-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

Dedication and Ribbon Cutting 5/18/09

2009-05-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

Dedication

2009-02-12T14:30:00.000-08:00

I learned the Dedication for the complex and public art will be May 18th 2009.

New commission

2009-01-20T07:10:00.000-08:00

I am making a sculpture for a Bank. Money Plant in stainless steel.

See: http://davidtonnesen.blogspot.com

Recent photos from Diana Gibson from CMHIP

2008-09-12T05:53:00.000-07:00

Diana have sent these beautiful photographs of the sculptures during and after the installation. Thank you Diana.

The last Allium sculpture goes up and the rain comes down

2008-08-17T18:32:00.001-07:00

Alliums

2008-08-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

One of two Allium sculptures.

Birds Installed

2008-08-13T17:01:00.000-07:00

It was a cool morning, Mid day in the 90's and a windy, threatening afternoon but the "Birds" are in.

The trip to Pueblo begins

2008-08-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

2060 miles ahead, 53 feet of truck loaded.

Birds - complete

2008-07-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

TIme for a bath.

Paint

2008-07-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

Blue paint over self-etch primer.

Irrediscent layer over the blue base gives a violet/red highlight.

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-03T10:15:00.001-07:00

All Birds Nested

2008-07-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

the last set of wings is in place and the composition is complete.

Thunder Storm

2008-06-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

A thunder storm blew through and I took a few photos as the sun was breaking out. The Allium bases are nice and rusted.

cleaning up the welds

2008-06-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

a week of welding and cleaning up all the welds.

Stiffening the structure

2008-06-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

Now that the tallest sections are in place areas needing to be stiffened are exposed. I spent the last week beefing up the lower supporting sections by boxing out the wing shapes and adding gussets.

One more bird section to go cantilevered away from the tall portion of the composition.

looking up

2008-06-13T06:02:00.000-07:00

looking up to the highest birds.

Wings

2008-06-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

The third pair of wings goes up for a test fit. One more pair intersects the upper wing to reach upwards over 12 feet high.

Work on the third of five birds.....

2008-06-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

Work on the "Birds" continues

2008-05-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

The first set of wings in stainless steel are complete and additional support on the back side has stiffened them. They are welded to a plate of Corten steel which is bolted to the base. The sculpture can be separated from the base for transport and then bolted together, and finally, welded permanently to the base.

fan mail?

2008-05-22T13:09:00.001-07:00

yes, I have received a fan letter along with many favorable comments on the Allium sculptures in the courtyard of my loft building.

Matt wrote:

"Hey David -

A little "fan mail" here....

I wanted to salute you for the marvelous sculpture currently gracing (alas, temporarily) the courtyard.

The first time I beheld it, it literally stopped me in my tracks.

Graceful, whimsical and wondrous, just on its own merit. Then, as I continued to admire and ponder, it occurred to me what it represents. As a gardener, I'm constantly fascinated by the forms and mute engineering of flowers. You've captured the Allium with remarkable forthrightness. Like a soaring silver firework.

Nice job-- Lucky Colorado

Matt"

thanks Matt!

First (sun)light

2008-05-13T09:41:00.001-07:00

Introducing the new stranger to the other flora.

Alive in the Wind

2008-05-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

the two pairs of Alliums are complete

2008-05-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

Allium base rust

2008-05-08T08:53:00.001-07:00

Two-Stem Base

2008-04-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

The second part of the two compositions of Alliums nears completion.

Bending pipe: Time Lapse

2008-04-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

Big Allium complete

2008-04-23T15:26:00.001-07:00

In a new light

2008-04-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

The giant Allium flower in a different light. Colors of the surroundings are picked up in the shiny buds.

Finished Allium Leaves

2008-04-17T16:07:00.001-07:00

A look at the finished stainless steel leaf shapes for the bases of the two sculptures.

wrestling with metal | Time Lapse

2008-04-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

Bending, grinding, and welding the pipe to form the abstract leaf shapes

Allium leaf

2008-04-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

At the base of the two large Allium sculptures will be an abstract leaf form which spirals over to the smaller allium composition.

6-foot diameter Allium head

2008-04-12T05:43:00.000-07:00

Another look....

The Large Allium Sphere

2008-04-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

Just under 6 feet in diameter, the largest of the Allium spheres takes shape. I have suspended it about 12-feet high in the breezeway to observe the subtle wind generated motion of the star shapes, and to get a sense of the large scale of the composition.

four finished blooms

2008-04-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

Allium flower heads

2008-04-04T15:10:00.001-07:00

hammering and assembling

2008-04-04T13:47:00.000-07:00

full sphere

2008-04-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

About 200 welded rods create the flower sphere.

"Flower Works" bloom

2008-03-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

I worked out a system to attach the 6-sided star flowers to the rods allowing for wind induced motion. This is just half of one of the Allium flower heads and is 3.5' in diameter.

1200 holes drilled

2008-03-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

The hemispheres are now drilled.

Allium flower

2008-03-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

Drilling 200 holes per sphere for the 1/8" rods that will make up the Allium flower head, or fire work display.

Fun with mirrors

2008-03-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Polished stainless steel hemispheres will form the center node of the allium flower blossom from which hundreds of thin rods will protrude holding the 6 point star shaped flowers.

Allium sculpture Star Shapes

2008-03-06T13:50:00.000-08:00

8-inch version star blossom before and after hammer finished.

I have about 1,500 Allium star shaped "blossoms" waiting to be hammer textured. Here are some of the 13" diameter stars after hammering.

steel and wood templates....

2008-03-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

Two wing form templates in steel (not stainless yet) and two more in wood being test fitted and adjusted, and re-adjusted.

template modifications and steel template of wing

2008-02-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

Modifications to the wood templates were made and re-cut. Less expensive mild steel was used to make the first wing shape in metal to test the template. The next wing shape which will be connected to the first one will be made following the form of the first steel wing. Once the fit is right, the wing can be cut in stainless steel. I am thinking of working out the entire sculpture in wood templates, then mild steel and finally, convert to stainless steel.

Templating the wings

2008-02-21T13:22:00.001-08:00

Here I am making templates for the stainless steel wing shapes to work out how they will go together.

more welding and grinding: Time Lapse

2008-02-15T12:54:00.000-08:00

preview of the rust on the Corten steel

2008-02-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

Left the smaller of the two bases out in the freezing rain to start the rust patina. THe color will be much darker over time.

sketch of possible pier mount

2008-02-14T11:58:00.001-08:00

example of allium base connection to pad

2008-02-14T05:10:00.000-08:00

A center hole bolt through to concrete pad. The Allium sculptures will each have two dome bases needing two concrete pads.

TIme lapse video in the shop today

2008-02-08T19:23:00.000-08:00

Grinding and welding the bases of the sculptures.

Grinding and welding the bases

2008-02-08T12:39:00.001-08:00

Grinding the same pattern into the dome bases of the Allium sculptures and welding the ridges of the birds sculpture bases.
The sound (noise) generated by the stone grinding wheel on the dome shape, ringing in a rhythm of repetition, brought a neighboring sound artist over to inquire about recording it. Next week she will set up microphones to capture and process it into her art. I will post any results here. Its funny, to me, the grinding sounds are noises to block out but music to her ears.

Base plates tack welded into position

2008-01-31T14:12:00.000-08:00

The two plates making up the larger of the two "mountain" bases for the sculpture are welded together after surface is finished in an overlapping grinder pattern. The Corten steel will oxidize to a rich rust color once exposed to the elements.

Close-up of grinder pattern.

The grinder pattern wraps around inside the hollow base and tapers off. More welding on the ridge is on deck.

2008-01-24T07:22:00.001-08:00

Surface texture is applied with heavy grinders and stone wheels.

Steel arrives for bases of the three sculptures

2008-01-24T07:18:00.000-08:00

About 1,800 pounds of mild and Cor-ten steel arrived.

Many hours of surface preparation is required to remove the mill scale and expose the metal for patina.