Vote for Golden’s Next Public Art Piece

Steel Lenticular Sculpture

It would be an honor to add this sculpture to The City of Goldens’ public art collection. I have taken advantage of my close proximity to Golden by visiting the site on numerous occasions. I have carefully designed this piece to be harmonious with the surrounding landscape by incorporating the contours of the mountains into the design. The large areas of negative space will allow the artwork to continuously complement the scenery as the seasons change. I hope its presence will lend a sense of place to the commuters of Highway 93 as well as those exploring the North Table loop Trail. When designing this I explored themes of geology, history and the environment.

This sculpture would be created from 120’ of reclaimed steel pipe measuring 32” in diameter and at least 3/8” thick. The pipe will be trisected lengthwise then shaped and finished with various techniques including plasma cutting, patina, powder coat and metallic veneer. The sections will then be erected onto a box-steel platform supported by concrete and steel piles embedded deep into the terrain. Once attached, the base of the sculpture will be backfilled with earth and other landscaping for a seamless integration into the landscape.

I would use local goods and services whenever possible. Thank you for your consideration.

Hello folks, my name is Joe Norman and I am very excited about Golden’s Highway 93 Entryway project.

First, some background: for the past nine years I have been a full-time sculptor, focusing on site-specific projects informed by the intersection of the natural and human-made environment. My studio is in Loveland, about an hour’s drive north of Golden.

Currently, I am working on private sculpture commissions, supplying work for galleries, and a set of eight large outdoor sculptures for Loveland’s public art collection that depict the wing patterns of species critical to the Front Range’s waterway ecosystems. Previously I’ve completed work for permanent public art collections in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and California.

Specifically, I would like to create a set of three sculptures that show a different image depending on the viewpoint of the observer. Travelers heading northbound (for example) will see a three red-tailed hawks, while those going southbound will see a group of children running together.

I am particularly drawn to the idea that both humans and nature can exist harmoniously and are not mutually exclusive. Golden seems to be a particularly good context for this idea; there exists extraordinary natural beauty alongside thriving education, business, and community. I’m excited about this project mainly because I believe it will engage people intellectually and emotionally in powerful ways.

More details about my past work can be found at joenormansculpture.com, or please stop by my studio during one of our 2nd Friday gallery strolls.

Golden Headframe

Golden Headframe is a replica of historic mine headframes from Golden’s past. The art piece will be very visible, day and night, from both directions on Hwy 93 and will provide a clear sense of arrival at the City of Golden’s boundary. The height is 40’ from the base.

This art piece is appropriate because of Golden’s history. Golden is the home of the Colorado School of Mines. Golden is the home for numerous hi-tech companies. Golden Headframe symbolically represents Golden’s mining-related history. The art piece makes the historical mine headframe into a memorable art piece.

Six “ore carts” will be attached to a cable. Each ore cart will display a letter of GOLDEN. The letters will be on each side of the ore cart. The ore cart side facing the highway will have Est. 1859. The sixth ore cart will have the City of Golden logo. See illustration.

This art piece has been designed as a combination of realistic working structure and the whimsical. The multi-colored LED lighting will continuously fade from one color to another, giving an eye-catching, distinctive appearance.

The design and location of the headframe artwork go hand-in-hand. The placement of this art piece will preserve the area and will integrate nicely. Seams from clay mining are visible directly behind the mine headframe and provide a perfect backdrop. Because of the openness of the Golden Headframe, it affords a view of the hogback and other scenery behind the piece.