My newest benches as part of the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission features paddle cactus (genus Opuntia, commonly called prickly pear). These benches are a continuation of the work I’m doing exploring intensely-colored minimal forms representing desert plants and landscape.
The first bench, Opuntias, is located at 105 S Palm Canyon Dr in Palm Springs, California. Three prickly pears lined up, dancing in the sun with the mountains in the background.
The second bench, Opuntia, is located at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Calle Alvarado. This is one larger prickly pear also basking in the sun with a new style of mountains in the background. After staring at the mountains at my bench site, I realized they’re all just triangles, so I simplified the triangle form as much as possible.
Here are some photos of my process for Opuntia:
