Tidal Memory

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Tidal Memory captures the dialogue between permanence and transformation that defines coastal landscapes. Cast in bronze and treated with a custom patina process, the sculpture’s surface records the imagined passage of countless tides—each wave leaving its subtle mark, each season adding layers of oxidation that mirror the sea-glass greens and weathered browns of the shoreline.

Conceptual Intent

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This piece emerged from observing tide pools along the Gulf coast, where water shapes rock with patient insistence. The form suggests both the solidity of geological time and the fluid motion that gradually reshapes it. Smooth areas polished by imagined currents contrast with textured regions where barnacle-like formations have been allowed to develop in the patination process.

Technical Details

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The work began as a wax model, hand-carved to capture organic asymmetry. After casting in bronze, a multi-week patina treatment involved alternating applications of chemical solutions and salt spray, creating the layered surface coloration. Some areas were selectively polished to reveal the warm bronze beneath, suggesting how water exposes and conceals different strata over time.

Context

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Tidal Memory is part of the Coastal Transformation series, which explores how human-made materials absorb and reflect the rhythms of natural processes. While created in the studio, the piece is designed to continue evolving if installed in outdoor coastal environments, gradually acquiring authentic weathering that adds to its narrative.

The sculpture can be displayed indoors or outdoors. For outdoor installation, mounting recommendations are available upon inquiry.