The Bloom Series Sculptures

Many people recognize me as an artist for my 2d mosaic landscape work as well as my outdoor mosaic sculpture as I have been creating and teaching mosaic art since 2007. In the last couple of years, I picked up the paintbrush after a 15 year break from the medium and today painting has once again become the main focus of my creative life. Still, I create large outdoor sculpture as my secondary passion and have expanded from beyond mosaics to large, welded steel forms. These works are exhibited each year in juried annual art exhibits though out Colorado as well as permanently installed in the 40 acre sculpture park I am building near the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Below is a peak at my new series of sculpture called 'Bloom'.

 

The series 'Bloom' is rooted in the intricate folk art of paper cutting from Poland, my place of birth. With 'Bloom III', I wanted to share the wonder that these forms inspire in me, hoping that the sculpture can do the same for others. The bright colors and fun, bulbous shapes are made to be eye catching, grabbing the viewer and pulling them in for a moment, adding something unique to their day out on the town. (Contact kpolkowska@gmail.com to order a custom 7.5ft tall flower sculpture or a set)

For all of my art across the mediums I love exploring, I take inspiration from what I find most beautiful in my surroundings as well as my life experiences. With my sculptures I aim to add beauty and interest to new places where the passerby can feel uplifted, inspired and discover something new. Above and below are two examples of my hand made mosaic sculpture - both are permanently installed at Mystic Valley Sculpture Park in Colorado - a collaborative art project with my life partner Kyle.

3rd Place Winner for Bloom Sculpture

The Art 2C on Havana selection committee has chosen my sculpture titled “Bloom” as the 3^rd Place Winner for the 2022-2024 public art exhibition On Havana Street!  I was told that " “Bloom” is so bright and beautiful on the pad in front of Dickey’s BBQ on Main Street at the Gardens On Havana Shopping Center, 10551 E Garden Dr, Aurora, CO 80012." Seen above is shot of how the sculpture is installed for the 2 year program.

The sculpture was also featured on Aurora TV. Check out the short video below. Bloom can be seen starting 14 seconds into the clip

Bloom Sculpture Installation

With my art, I take inspiration from what I find most beautiful in my surroundings as well as my life experiences. With my sculptures I aim to add beauty and interest to new places where the passerby can feel uplifted, inspired and discover something new.

My sculpture "Bloom" is rooted in the intricate folk art of paper cutting from Poland, my place of birth. With 'Bloom', I wanted to share the wonder that these forms inspire in me, hoping that the sculpture can do the same for others. The bright colors and fun, bulbous shapes are made to be eye catching, grabbing the viewer and pulling them in for a moment, adding something unique to their day out on the town.

On October 4th we installed 'Bloom' for Aurora's 11th Biennial Art 2C On Havana Street 2022-2024. See my sculpture featured via Aurora TV here: https://onhavanastreet.com/aurora-tv-featured-the-2022-2024-art-2c-on-havana-street-public-art-program/

Art 2C On Havana Street is a Public Art Program that features outdoor sculpture from Colorado Artists as well as creatives from beyond the Rocky Mountain State. This was the first time I applied for the program and was so happy to be chose as the handful of artists who shared their wonderful creations with the greater Denver audience.

 

Nautilus Shell Sculpture

 

 

On September 17th, 2022 the Alamosa Public Works Crew installed my new sculpture Nautilus Shell. It is located on the corner of Main Street and State Street. This is the 6th year that I've participated in Alamosa's Artscape Outdoor Art Sculpture, each year from the start of the program. 

 

Here are my boys Ethan and Wesley, waiting for the installation of the pedestal for my sculpture.  The sculpture that was here previously was very large so the crew removed the standard pedestals that are always there for the new work. They had to bring it back and set it in place as my sculpture looks best when raised a couple of feet.

 

Alamosa's Public Works Crew is always a pleasure to work with and lots of fun to watch as they carefully install all the art around town.

 

Kyle and the boys watching in awe =)

 

The Chambered Nautilus, sometimes referred to as a living fossil, has remained relatively unchanged for over 400 million years. Most people recognize it for its shell which captivates with its geometric and jewel-like beauty. Its appeal has been driving this previously abundant species toward extinction through over-harvesting for jewelry production. It is easy to want one of these mysterious and mesmerizing treasures for oneself, especially when the true cost to the species is not realized or advertised by the trinket producers. I hope that others are inspired like me to only take inspiration from the living Nautilus and to leave them in the deep, dark ocean where they can thrive for millions of years to come.

 

 

Each year I design a brand new sculpture specifically as next year's submission entry for the jury to consider. This was the concept that my partner Kyle helped me realize via Solid Works.

 

There is a neat contrast between the colorful glass front of the sculpture and the back that is made to look like stone. 

 

Here is a photo of how I realized the back of the sculpture to appear like in the concept design. It is sculpted polystyrene foam, covered in mesh and layers of exterior foam coat that is then faux finished with exterior paint and sealed.

 

 

I completed my Nautilus Shell a few months before the installation of the 2022/23 Artscape. For a few months we installed it at our 40 Acre Mystic Valley Sculpture Park in Mosca near the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

The front is created with hand cut and shaped stained glass. Some of the glass is irredescent so it changes color in the light.

 

Here you can see a size comparison as well as how the colors changed when sculpture is viewed from a different angle.

Lotus Flower Installation II

This is the second part of my new lotus installation at the Mystic Valley Sculpture Park near the Great Sand Dunes National Park. These flowers face Blanca Peak to the East. They are opening up toward the light as the sun rises from behind the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. 

 

This installation is along the growing Sculpture Trail at the sculpture park that I am building with my life and creative partner Kyle. We are not yet able to open the park to day visitors but if you are planning a trip to the San Luis Valley, you can stay at one of our tiny cabins via AirBnB: https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/409508044

 

 

Lotus Emerges - A Ceramic Tile Sculpture

Lotus Emerges, a handmade sculpture with handmade ceramic tiles, 4'5" by 4' by 6",  2021

Above photo shows the sculpture installed on Main Street in Alamosa, Colorado. It is part of the 2021/22 Artscape Sculpture Program. Vote for your favorite art via the city website here: https://cityofalamosa.org/public-art/public-art-archive-2021-2022/

The lotus is an exquisite flower that easily captivates whomever casts their eyes upon it. In nature it emerges from muddy, murky waters to bloom into a perfectly clean flower. Because of this it has come to symbolize purity and has become a much loved symbol of beauty in various cultures, all having a somewhat different interpretation. 

 

Above are the renderings for my sculpture proposal prior to it being completed.

 

What I love about this flower is that it follows the cycle of light, opening up during the day and closing at night – rebirth is a symbol that I am particularly drawn to. The lotus flower inspires me to begin each day fresh and clean. Furthermore, it is a sign of enlightenment – breaking through the darkness. I love looking back on the times when I broke through the darkness inside, learned something new about life around me or about myself. For me the lotus is a beautiful reminder of the potential we have when we open up to the light.”

 

The sculptural form is built from plywood, white foam, mesh and is covered in exterior foam coat from the Hotwire Foam Factory.

There is a custom-made steel base inserted into the center of the sculptural form. It is in there permanently.

I created all of the unique ceramic tiles in my studio. I hand rolled the clay, cut out each shape and added patterns to each tile by hand before the bisque fire. Then I glazed all the tiles. I love the final part, opening the kiln for the grand reveal of the completed tiles.

Here I am laying out the first set of tiles on top of my blueprint for the pattern.

This was my favorite of the tiles for the first side of the sculpture.

It was so exciting to see one side of the sculpture ready for gluing.

Here are the tiles for the second side of the sculpture. After the first firing, I didn't like the way some of the tiles turned out so I had to reglaze some of these. It was well worth it as I loved they way they came out on the second go around. 

I loved examining each tile and arranging it into my pattern.

These bigger shapes were my favorite on this side. The whimsical, organic feel of them was mesmerizing to me.

On the left, I am holding the tile and on the right you can see the tile installed onto the sculpture which is grouted in that photo. 

 

On the left is my son Ethan, inspecting my layout before I glue down each tile. On the right, I am inspection from above after I glued all the pieces down, making sure that all the spacing feels right.

Here I am with the finished sculpture with Side B facing forward. All the tiles have been glued and the mosaic has been grouted.

My younger son Wesley, running past the sculpture.

 

Angle View of Side B of the finished sculpture. 

 

 

Detail view of the tiled sculpture on Side B.

 

Another angle view of the sculpture Side B.

 

The same angle view of the sculpture but of Side A.

 

Another angle view of the sculpture's Side A. 

 

Detail view of Side A.

 

 

Wesley stealing the attention from the finished art ... once again =)

 

After finishing the sculpture, I decided that this was the Side A of the sculpture. It was a difficult choice as I love both sides, plus originally, the other side was intended to be Side A. But I was drawn to the vibrant blue hue of the tiles on this side. That's what swayed me to choose this as the primary side, if there needed to be one. But the sculpture is 2 sided and intended for both to be equally enjoyed by the viewers. Further more, the circular cutouts encourage the viewers to look forward, through the sculpture, as if they are looking toward a brighter future.