Spirit Gate, a ceremonial gateway

Spirit Gate today photographed by Dan Gross

 A friend just sent me a photo of this sculpture in San Jose, California, wondering if it was one of my public art pieces. Yes, one of my favorites! Spirit Gate located on The Alameda was designed as a ceremonial gateway for Hester School and installed in 2000. It was a collaboration between myself, Bill Gould, and the students and teachers, and supported by a Public Art in Communities Grant.  

As in my 2D art, we focused on  archetypal symbols inspired by the ancients - the circle and the vesica piscis.  We worked with the students to choose 'power words'  that are cut into the eight foot steel gate. The words - spirit, vision, wisdom, dream, honor and inspire - form the inner core while family, school, friendship and community enclose the center. The two stucco columns are embedded with broken tile mosaics created by the students that illustrate local history. 

I like the way it looks like an ancient relic situated in the modern world with a design that transcends time.

Spirit Gate in 2000 with its shadow image

Glen and Bill working with Hester students

Students & teacher creating mosaics for the columns