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Unruly Images
Public Art, Welded Steel Sculpture
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VICKIE JO SOWELL

3618 Peralta Street, Emeryville, CA 94608            (510) 655-7374

vickiejosowell@hotmail.com                     www.unrulyimages.com

 

EDUCATION:

1978-1980      M.F.A. Mills College, Oakland, CA (Sculpture)

1974-1978      B.A., Montana State University, Bozeman, MT (Art)

 

AWARDS/COMMISSIONS:

 

2015   The Future,, Richmond High School

Powder-baked enamel on steel

 

5 6' x 8' aquajet steel panels depicting aspects of the High School Curriculum

 

Contract Value:                                                              $20,000

 

2014   Orange is the Happiest Color, Ecole Bilingue, Emeryville, CA

Powder-baked enamel on zinc plated steel

 

Signature sculpture for new bilingual school campus. Panel designs present images and words in three languages

 

Contract Value:                                                              $27,600

 

2011   Marina Gates, Marinas Int'l, Emeryville, CA

Powder-baked enamel on zinc plated steel

 

4 sports fishing gates and 2 fence panels

 

Contract Value:                                                              $21,500

2011   McKinley LID Sign Project, City of Reno, Reno NV

Powder-baked enamel on steel

 

4 signs, with 8 mounted, plasma cut steel panels

 

Contract Value:                                                              $9,500

 

2010   The Evans Gates, Napa, CA

Painted enamel on steel

 

Metal leaf motif, front gates

 

Contract Value:                                                              $3,800

 

2010   Niles Panorama, Fire Station No. 2, Fremont, CA

Powder-baked enamel on steel

 

15 inset panels for new Fire Station in historic Niles district

 

Contract Value:                                                              $27,500

 

2009   Gates4Yates, Anna Yates Elementary School, Emeryville, CA

Enamel painted steel

 

Entryways and decorative fencing for Elementary school renovation

 

Contract Value:                                                              $25,000

 

2008   Life is a Ball,King Park, Brentwood, CA

Welded Bronze

Commission for City of Brentwood, CA’s King Park.  Figures of five bronze dogs are rendered in the act of leaping for a thrown ball.  The standalone figure of “King,” Brentwood’s first licensed canine, sits nearby.

Contract Value:                                                              $44,000

 

2008   Roots of Oakland, Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA

10 tile mosaic panels with hand-crafted text and floral elements

 

I was commissioned to provide 10 ceramic tile mosaic panels for the terraced main entryway to Alameda County’s Highland Hospital.

 

Contract Value:                                                              $13,000

 

2007   Sprazzo di Sole, Orinda, CA

Enamel on Steel

 

Commission installed at Private Residence, Orinda CA. 

Contract Value:                                                                                                                                      $10,000

 

2007   Sweidy-Stata Poolhouse, Atherton, CA

Powder-baked enamel, zinc-dipped steel

 

Private Commission, Sweidy-Stata Home, Atherton, CA.  I was commissioned to provide a full suite of artworks for the poolhouse location, including three gates, two railings, a large window treatment, and over 50 feet of ornamental fence. 

Contract Value:                                                                          $37,000


  2005, 2007   Richmond Works, Richmond, CA

166 waterjet cut steel panels, powder-baked color coatings         

Public Art Commission for the City of Richmond’s Transit Village.  The commission consists of  approximately 600 feet of fence in three sections along Marina Way, bordering the Transit Village.  Panels depict 7 original thematic designs relating to the people and times of Richmond.  Follow-on for Traffic Circle barrier, 2007.

Contract Value:                                                                          $150,000

 

2005      Stockton Heliotrope, Stockton, CA

Enamel on Steel                                                50’ diam.

 

Commission installed at Matt Equinoa Park in Stockton, California.   Three sculptural sections sits atop a hexagonal shade structure establishing a spiraling floral bouquet that tracks the sun.  Floral images are of native flowers that attract beneficial insects.

 

Contract Value:                                              $20,000

 

2004      Neighborhood Convergence, Emeryville, CA

11 8’ tall Enamel painted steel figures

Public Art commission, Emeryville, CA.   The commission consisted of eleven enamel-painted steel figures, each  approximately 8’ tall, executed in collaboration with Emeryville painter M. Louise Stanley and lighting designer Jeremy Hamm.  The figures are installed on both sides of the Powell Street undercrossing of Interstate 80 in Emeryville.

Contract Value:                         $125,000

 

2004      Fruitvale Revival, Oakland, CA

Public Art Commission, City of Oakland.  The commission was for a central arch that combined architectural icons drawn from the Fruitvale district with organic fruit and branch fabrications that sprang from Fruitvale’s orchard heritage.  This plaza entryway crowns four columns along the edge of International Boulevard.  A follow-on commission put in place a similar single central arch around a hundred yards away.

 

Fruit glass enamels by Deborah Lozier

Contract Value:                                                                          $30,000 + $12,000 f.o.

 

2002      Legends of Milpitas, Milpitas, CA

 

Installation for Murphy Park in Milpitas.  Four pillars with capitals depicting aspects of local history.

 

Contract Value:                                                                                  $15,000


 

2002      Ironhorse Trail,    Dublin, CA

Powder-baked enamel on Steel                        183” x 103” x 6”

       

Percent-for-Art fulfillment, IronHorse Trail Housing project in Dublin, California.  The commission included this signature marquee at the entrance to the project, and a series of treeguard elements along the streets there.

Contract Value:                        $22,000

 

2001      Michael’s Palette,            Emeryville, CA

Powder-baked enamel on Steel                            13’ x 10' x 8’

 

Commercial commission, percent-for-art fulfillment, Michaels Arts Store,  Emeryville, CA

 

Contract Value                                                                                   $17,000

 

2001      Emeryville Firestation #2

Powder-baked enamel on Steel                        20’ x 3’ x 3” ,15’ x 4’ x .5”

 

For the City’s first public art project for the Emeryville Firestation #2, I served as both sculptor and designer, serving as a design/color consultant for the entire facility in addition to the metalworks I installed. 

 

Contract Value                                                                        $25,000

 

2000      PickleWorks Gates and Signage  (Percent for Art fulfillment)

 

 

EXHIBITIONS:

2008               “Artscape Orinda,” 11 Public Art Sculptors

2004               “Off the Rim”            Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ

2003               “Big Little”            Jewelers and Sculptors in Metal,  Oakland, CA

2000               "Introductions" Sculpture Garden, Wildwood Farm, Glenellen, CA

2000               "Interpreting the Figure"            Mill Valley Sculpture Garden

1998               1078 Gallery, Chico, CA            (2-person show)

1998               “Body and Soul”            Matrix Gallery, Sacramento, CA

1998               S.F. Museum of Modern Art, Rental Gallery, San Francisco

1997               "Marked Metal"    Richmond Arts Center, Richmond, CA

1997               "Humor, Parody, + Satire",  PRSG at SF Design Center

1996               National Women's Caucus for the Arts, Mills College, Oakland, CA

1996               Pacific Rim Sculptors Group at the Mother Lode, Sonora, CA

1995               SF Women Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1995               Andrea Schwarz Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1994               Public Art Sculpture Exhibition, City of Santa Clara, CA

1994               Pacific Rim Sculptors Group, Syntex Gallery, Palo Alto, CA

1994               ISC Exhibition, Contract Design Center, San Francisco