I was commissioned to make a series of artworks for the new Pala Youth Center, an after school activity center run by the City of San Jose. The Center is located between a high school and a middle school, and just around the corner from an elementary school, so it seemed only natural to involve the kids in the artwork. I got teachers from the school to send me drawings the kids had done, and then I incorporated their artwork into a series of metal panels inside and outside the center.

The outdoor panels range from 3’ x 4’ to a large panel on the front of the building that is 4’ wide and 16’ tall, and weighs a half a ton. These panels are plasma cut from steel, then galvanized to a soft gray color.

Inside the building, running down the hallway, are a series of more artwork by the kids- these are powdercoated a dark gray metallic color.

In addition, I built one piece of my own artwork, to go along with the kids artwork- it is a “chandelier”, although without lights- there is an oval clear story above the main desk, with a large skylight at the top. My chandelier, made from forged and welded stainless steel, is 12’ tall and 4’ in diameter, and hangs in this space, with its lowest point about 10’ above the floor.

commissioned by the San Jose Arts Commission