The public is invited to attend a dedication for its newest public artwork – “Olas Portola Fuente Seca” – on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 4 p.m. in downtown San Luis Obispo at the intersection of Marsh and South Higuera. A ribbon cutting is planned, along with light refreshments.
The 30-foot tall piece is the City’s first kinetic sculpture, which greets motorists and pedestrians at the intersection of Marsh and South Higuera streets. “Olas Portola-Fuente Seca,” which translates to “Waves in a Dry Fountain,” was created by kinetic sculptor Jeffrey Laudenslager and light sculptor Deanne Sabeck, both Southern California artists with numerous public art pieces.
It was built on a former fountain created by the San Luis Obispo Monday Club in 1967.
Designed on CAD software, Laudenslager’s sculpture consists of geometric shapes, joined and balanced so that wind alone will activate them. Sabeck’s glass, meanwhile, adds splashes of color, light and reflection.
The City’s Public Art program now has more than 70 unique pieces of public art, including murals; mosaics; oil and watercolor paintings; utility box art; benches; bridge railings and more.
This public art project began in 2009, when an art jury reviewed over 150 proposals and recommended a single public art design for the fountain location.