Artist’s Statement

by Garr Ugalde

Sacramento has a rich history in the settlement of the west.  The city was a hub during the gold rush era, played a key role in the joining of the Union Pacific and Central railroads, and is the capitol seat of state government.  These are references that usually come to mind to most people when the history of the city is raised.  But the greater Sacramento area also possesses bountiful swaths of preserved lands and waterways with a rich natural history.

The lands that astride the Sacramento and American Rivers that run along and through the city are the cradle of much of the wildlife that thrives throughout the region.  In the surrounding lands, there are preserves of marshlands, and though there are many species inhabiting the fauna and grasses, it is the birds that seem to hold sway for their sheer numbers and variety.  It is a reminder of the close relationship between these winged creatures and the human communities that live in proximity to one another.  There is a delicate balance of life and an interdependency that exists between the two. 

In Native American folklore, birds played a significant role.  The Miwok and Maidu Indians of the Sacramento region have many tales of crows, cranes, hawks, and egrets.  Many of the folktales relate how these “bird spirits” are omens of good fortune, fruitful hunts, tribe well-being, and benevolent figures that help shape the world around these indigenous people.

“Spirit Wings” is a series of seven (7) sculptures that embody this sense of the bird/human relationship.  The sculptures shall be placed at sites along the K Street Mall.  The first of the pieces will depict an image of a waterfowl (Cormorant or Crane).  As the sculptures progress up the mall at their various sites the sculptures begin transforming from bird imagery to that of a winged human figure in various stages of flight.  The last of these artworks shall be that of a human figure expressive in nature but relating in pose to that of the first sculpture of the waterfowl.  This is to bring home the essence of water and nature to the inter-connectedness of birds and humankind in this river community.