I take a lot of disappointing pictures when I am out hiking or kayaking.  Things that just amaze me by their form or delicacy don’t translate the way that I SEE them in my eyes.  So many pictures come out flat and mediocre, nothing special.

Michael McGillis’ sculptures have a pop of color that forcefully pulls your eye to look and see.

Michael McGillisWaterborne, Michael McGillis

It is exaggerated by his use of man made materials, but that’s what I SEE as I float down the stream – the beauty of how a random pattern of twigs traces over the rocks, the way that one piece curves and bends…

Michael McGillisInfiltration, Michael McGillis

Neon colors illuminate the cracks, highlighting the deliberate and precise laying of stone, drawing your eye up around the beautiful old door and climbing higher still.

Michael McGillisWake, Michael McGillis

Although I have my typical rose-colored-glasses perspective, drawing your eye to the beauty is not really his goal.   In an artist’s statement, he speaks about portraying the impact of human presence upon the environment, and our shifting interpretations of what is natural.  The pretty neon colors in Infiltration are actually those ubiquitous plastic bags that float through the air, finding their way into pristine environments and polluting the earth.

See more of his outdoor installations, as well as his studio work on his website: http://michaelmcgillis.com/

(spotted on studiogblog)

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