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Sugar

Material: Powder Coated Steel

Artist: Mike Workman

Inspired by installing the creations of other artists for the City of Puyallup (Valley Arts United, and Arts Downtown), Mike decided to create a unique art project of his own. With an extensive background in welding and advanced fabrication work he was able to create something different that has an interesting functionality as a weather vane which also powers the flapping of the fantasy pterodactyl’s metal wings.

“What possesses a grown man to create a 200 pound fantasy Pterodactyl with a wing span of 11 feet made entirely of steel and powered by the wind and sun???” That was my question exactly to Mike Workman as I stood gazing up for the first time at his colorful creation, in his backyard in Puyallup!

He told me that having his own welding business, he had met many artists and helped them with their art installations. One of them, during an installation, asked him when he was going to create his own artwork.  So he decided to create something he had never seen before…something that would capture the imagination, something that would move.  After a year of trial and error in his spare time, “Sugar” was born.  Now, a tooth and nail predator can be a bit scary…what would children think!  So Mike’s 89 year old mother suggested eyelashes, and as Mike puts it, “you don’t argue with an 89 year old”.

Well, I certainly had never seen anything like it and invited Mike Cohen, the developer at Point Ruston to come see for himself.  He was captivated, and was immediately drawn into the technical and engineering puzzles that Mike Workman had solved over the year “Sugar” was created. The Pterodactyl hangs below a windmill which was engineered specifically to power it’s movement.  The 11 foot wingspan raises and lowers with the wind.  The head moves up and down and the mouth opens and closes, and changes directions with it’s tail swinging from side to side.  All 603 unique scales covering the creature were all individually hand cut.  And, red LED’s were placed in the eyes to glow in the dark.

“Sugar” is quite simply amazing!  Visit her at the end of the Waterwalk, by the Point Ruston Ferry…and marvel and smile at this wonderful Mike Workman creation.

 

Mike Workman (and Janet Nix,  painter)

“Sugar”

Steel and Powder Coated Paint on concrete base

28 feet tall x 11 foot wingspan

Created 2017

Retail:  $80,000

FEATURE PRICE:  $68,000.00 (Feature Price expires  May 1, 2018)

 

For further information on works by Point Ruston artists, purchase inquiries, or for artist submittals, contact: Buster Baba at art@pointruston.com

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