Commissioned by Butler Armsden Architects for a private residence, this site-specific installation honors the local ecology and natural beauty of Portola Valley, California. Anemochory is a data visualization of wind patterns tracked on site by the client's anemometer — its source material a recorded gust of 68 MPH. The concept draws from the phenomenon of anemochory: the way plants release their seeds into the wind, carried to new places to grow.

Shifting from micro to macro, the work incorporates abstract plant forms in the spirit of Karl Blossfeldt's botanical photography, translating an invisible natural force into ceramic relief. Installed along the 30-foot breezeway entrance to the home, the piece was developed in conversation with the home's intentional architecture, art collection, and surroundings. The integration of natural pattern and material into the built environment creates an atmosphere of calm and serenity, inviting those who move through the space to feel the living landscape just beyond.

Over 600 ceramic elements were designed and press-molded from Laguna Electric Brown stoneware to ensure durability and longevity in outdoor environments.

Each element was hand painted and once-fired to cone 5½ in an electric kiln. Elements were installed with screws and magnetic caps engineered to withstand high winds and natural elements. This work was a collaborative effort, made with the help of North Bay clay community members Dan Clauson, Brie Lucke, Austyn Taylor, Rose Gitlin, Heather Law, and Lexi Bakkar. Installation led by Ridge Construction.

Each tile is 17” x 7.75”, total dimensions: 144” wide x 72” tall. The piece was on view from April 14-May 7, 2023 at The Alley Gallery in Sonoma, CA.