Commissioned by Local Language for the Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe, this 65 part installation serves as a sculptural tribute to the region’s native ecology and the rhythmic beauty of its forests. The work centers on the Quaking Aspen, a tree that symbolizes the Sierra. By abstracting the leaf form into a large-scale ceramic composition, the piece captures the moment when the canopy shifts from the cool whites of summer to the radiant golds of autumn. This transition honors the beauty and identity of the local ecology, inviting viewers to reflect on seasonal rhythms and the enduring grace of the Tahoe basin.

Each of the ceramic Quaking Aspen leaves is hand formed from a white stoneware clay, specifically selected to achieve a clean, stone-like foundation. To create a heightened sense of dimensionality, the tiles are constructed to 1” thick and utilize a two-level surface elevation. This structural shift physically delineates the transition between glazes, separating the off-white glossy finish from the gold accents. The result is a highly tactile, dimensional wall relief that uses surface variation and reflective finishes to simulate the quaking movement of an Aspen grove.

67” l x 46” h x 1” d

(170.2 cm x 116.8 cm x 2.5)

Stoneware, glaze

2023