Seed - Nelson, BC - Abstract Public Sculptures on Waymarking.com

Nelson artist Nathan Smith’s youthful appearance belies a lot of experience as a metal designer and sculptor. He has been creating lovely works since 2003 and his initial entry for Castlegar Sculpturewalk displays his talent and artistry in spades.

‘Seed’ is simple and elegant. Wonderfully balanced with crisp lines, the sculpture consists of a sphere made up of multiple-sized circles mounted on a short, elaborately detailed stem complete with delicate roots. The stem flowers upright from gradually lengthening curved metal rods; on one side the metal rod is a continuum of the shortest piece, arcing gracefully over the sphere and forming the longest length on the other side. The metal lengths are rockered and wave like, representing the opened pod. It is a gorgeous design that is incredibly symmetrical, balanced and clean.

Elements from ‘Seed’, a sphere as a centrepiece and the encircling line creating dramatic use of space, are often found in Smith’s most prevalent public installations - sundials. He has created and installed four already: two in Nelson, one in Summerland and another in the Dorothy Harvey Gardens at the Calgary Zoo. That project, commissioned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Horticultural Society, includes four stunning ‘seasonal’ metal and wood benches, the back of each a metal lacework depicting one of the four seasons. A multi-coloured, sixteen point compass stone design completes the installation spectacularly.

“Sundials have a special significance for me,” Smith says. ‘Each one I’ve created is uniquely designed for the setting, ornate and one-of-a-kind. At the same time, they are also accurate measurements of time passage too, functional and beautiful at the same time.”
From the Castlegar Sculpturewalk

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