Mother Oak
A Larger Reality: Ursula K. Le Guin
Photo by Mario Gallucci
What an honor to contribute to this special exhibition!
When l was contacted by Dustin Williams of the Oregon Contemporary, and asked if I would be interested in contributing to an exhibition based on the life and work of Ursula K Le Guin (specifically to create a massive tree for the main exhibition space), I had no idea how I was going to do it, and didn’t hesitate to say “yes!”
Working with Dustin, the Oregon Contemporary, and Curator Theo Downes-Le Guin was an absolute pleasure, and the design rounds went smoothly as we narrowed in on the look and construction method for the piece.
The tree would become a gathering space, complete with benches, books, and audio to bring visitors closer into Ursula’s world(s). Working through physical models provided a few clever geometries that would be leveraged throughout the piece, and hopefully present a balance between a systematic structure, and wild growth.
The whole exhibition gives a thoughtful and poetic look into the life and work of Ursula K Le Guin, with a breadth and depth that can be appreciated by the life-long fan and the newly introduced alike.
A Larger Reality: Ursula K Le Guin is on view at the Oregon Contemporary through February 8th, 2026.
Thank you Theo Downes-Le Guin, Dustin Williams, and Oregon Contemporary for entrusting me with this monumental project! Thanks to Molly Templeton who curated the books into the tree; Chris Fish Herring for the lighting; Solomon Botwinick, Kate Madden, and Pope Tart for fabrication support; and Ezra Cimino-Hurt, Chris Regis, and Colin Babcock for their work milling all of the pieces. Thanks to Precipitation Northwest for the studio/shop space.
Photos by Mario Gallucci:
The Wishing Well & the Porthole Portal
This piece was so much fun to make, I did it twice. A kinetic light sculpture that leverages an infinity mirror, color, and a radial moiré effect, The Wishing Well first appeared in the Portland Winter Light Festival in 2019.
I developed the concept, designed the piece, and captained the project with the team at Figure Plant. Programming by Nikita Kozlov, mechanics by Fred Schoening, and metal fabrication by Alexandra Green. Special thanks to John Ceniceros.
After friends from the Light Festival invited me to their new project, I started redesigning The Wishing Well into the Porthole Portal. I rearranged the parts making the light show visible from a distance, and the right height for more folks, including our youngest guests. I cleaned things up; gave it a new paint job; and replaced motors, power supplies, and other parts I only vaguely understood. Porthole Portal was in Roboto Ocopodo’s FATHOM from 2024-2025.
Photo by Timothy Niou
Photo by Timothy Niou
Spectrum Pyramid
TEDx Portland reached out to Figure Plant for the design and fabrication of the "Spectrum" pyramid, named for that year’s theme. I designed the pyramid, and then redesigned it after we bought the last violet acrylic available anywhere.
Rumor has it that the pyramid has appeared at several festivals since.
Project Pabst Unicorn
A David Korins production and another Figure Plant build. After the foam body was milled and assembled, I carved the details of “Pepper” the unicorn.
Tree Houses
I developed the look of three custom tree houses that were built, distressed, and installed in forests across the Pacific Northwest for a reality TV pilot. They wanted the three tree structures to be distinct shapes with varied treatments as though built by different folks.
Outside Lands Mini-Golf
I helped to build and install “Back Wine,” a San Fransisco inspired miniature golf course which has become a reoccurring feature of the Outside Lands Music Festival, with Figure Plant and Superfly.
Lord of the Rings Environment
I was the principal designer for this LOTR inspired environment built for a private event. There were five structures all together including a working kitchen and bathroom, a custom fire sculpture, and an expansive dining hall.
