The Noble Architect

A Different Kind of Keystone Species

The Noble Architect - "facilitator of rich ecosystems, benefactor of the past, builder of our future." 72″ tall x 36″ x 36″, concrete, rebar, polymer, handmade ceramic tile, galvanized steel. This sculpture honors the majestic beaver that once abundantly inhabited and thrived in this area. The beaver faces the rising sun looking for a day when humans and nature harmonize.

The Noble Architect sculpture is a collaboration I did with ceramic tile artist, Ruth Frances Greenberg. Funded via a grant through the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC), this piece is part of the Alberta Streetscape Project. The goals were to make a sculpture on the bus platform that invites interaction and is relevant to this neighborhood and city. With some help from the Oregon Historical Society, we found texts that referenced how abundant beaver were throughout what is now known as Portland. Over the past decade, ecologists throughout the Western US have been strategically reintroducing beaver to help restore and manage ecosystems that have been struggling. Nature wins!

Our approach with the mosaic tile was to create something people could physically interact with and over the years we’ve been happy to see this piece adorned with handmade scarves, hats, carved tree trunks etc.. It has become a landmark and has been shown on numerous television shows — including the Food Network and Portlandia.