The w
ord appreciation came to mind while creating the non-structural laminated arches that hovered over the entry to the “Tree of Life” exhibition. Exhibitions designer Lindsay Smith and Kansas State University assistant professor of interior architecture and product design Steve Davidson skillfully laminated these 16-foot arches designed to pay homage to Charles Bello’s inspiring Gallery in the Redwoods. Red cedar was chosen for its length, thickness, and softwood quality—it’s quite easy to bend without steam or water. We created an arched form out of wood blocks to wrap the two cedar strips around as the glue dried, making the curve permanent. It may look like we used too many clamps, but we kept saying “We need more clamps!” Clamps secured the knots during curing, closed gaps between the cedar strips, and maintained the curve. Once the strips were dried and sanded, we applied thinned enamel paint to give the wood a redwood tone. I now have a great appreciation for the craftsmanship it takes to produce a simple curve out of wood. For more information about the installation of “Tree of Life” visit: https://blogs.k-state.edu/beach/.
— Luke A. Dempsey, Assistant Exhibitions Designer
CAPTION FOR IMAGE
Lindsay Smith and Steve Davidson with one of the curved arches created for the fall 2014 “Tree of Life” exhibition.