The Essence of Nature

The Essence of Nature (2017)

Artist: Janet Austin

Media: Powder coated and brushed stainless steel

Dimensions: 12' H x 10' W x 2' D

Current Location: Meadowbrook Park, 2808 S Race St, Urbana, IL 61802

Past Locations:
Chicago Sculpture Exhibit, Chicago IL, 2017
Art on Clark, Chicago IL, 2018-19

Price: $25,000

Two birds, a male and a female, evoke the "birds and the bees" expressing the fecundity of nature.

Everyone likes birds; we see them, we hear them, we eat them.  They are an essential cog in the living circle of our world.

The tree is pared down to its essential shape: trunk and branches. It is support and shelter, a place to build a nest, a place where food can be found, capturing the energy of the sun through photosynthesis.

The color red (aggressive, passionate, courageous) dominates over the cold steel color of the tree. However, the birds need the tree for support so it's in their best interest to keep the tree alive.

This piece is a metaphor for man and nature.