Jeffrey Reed and Jennifer Madden are award-winning sculptors who specialize in site-specific artwork for public environments. Their artwork is about creating the genius loci (spirit of the place) with elegant forms that tell a story about the uniqueness of the site. They make iconic sculptures that promote community pride. Artistically, the couple combines restrained elegance with playfulness – often using the movement of wind, light and water to evoke natural phenomena. They work primarily with stainless steel, bronze, concrete and programmable L.E.D. lights.
Creating community gathering spots within their artwork often includes artistic seating that reinforces the art theme, such as the shape of abstracted boats, oyster shells, or geologic formations. “Coming About” in Tiburon, California has become the heart of the town, where gatherings both large and small happen daily. Their award-winning “Sun Flowers” installation in Palo Alto, California was specifically designed for eating outdoors. It is a kinetic streetscape that demonstrates the alternative energies of wind and solar. A field of seven tall umbrella-like “poppies” (California’s state flower) spin in the softest breeze, delighting children and adults alike. The long geologically inspired bench seating (which protects viewers from passing cars) contains a plaque explaining how the interior solar panels power L.E.D. lights at night. The project won highest honors for both Urban Design and Green Design from the S.F. American Institute of Architects, and sparked a “parklet” movement in the Bay Area to turn a few parking places into tiny parks.
Reed and Madden have a metal shop in Richmond, California. They are trained as architects and landscape architects and are licensed contractors. They work side by side through conceptual development, computer graphics, mock-ups, fabrication and installation. Stephen Heinen, a master builder and computer modeler, joined the couple in 2016. They have extensive experience collaborating with multiple city agencies and other professionals to get public art permitted and installed. Reed and Madden have completed more than two dozen large-scale outdoor sculptures for cities.
