Charla Elizabeth
THE FLOWER OF ESPERANZA
ESPERANZA PARK ROUNDABOUT — CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIFORNIA
2026
Charla Elizabeth
Charla Elizabeth is a Los Angeles-based artist whose sculptural practice draws from nature’s forms to explore ideas of regeneration, balance, and connection. A two- time Pollock-Krasner award recipient, her work is part of the permanent collection at the California African American Museum. Charla creates with elemental materials— steel, glass, wool, and cotton—shaping forms that echo growth, shelter, and transformation.
She holds degrees from Brown University (B.A., Art) and Pratt Institute (M.S., Communications Design), and is professor emerita at USC’s Roski School of Art and Design. Deeply committed to community and education, she has also taught at UCLA and mentored youth through Theatre of Hearts. Her recent works consider symbolic origins and natural cycles through sculpture, print, and fiber.
Portfolio and additional works: charlaelizabeth.art
Charla Elizabeth
Sculptor / Designer
2 Rbhu
Rbhu is an artist-centered engineering and design studio specializing in large-scale sculpture. Founded by Selinda Martinez and Alireza Lahijanian, Rbhu collaborates closely with artists to bring their creative visions to life—transforming sketches into structurally sound, buildable works of art. With expertise in static and kinetic forms, they provide 3D modeling, rendering, and comprehensive structural engineering services, including stamped drawings and permit packages. Rooted in deep respect for artistic integrity, Rbhu ensures each sculpture is both safe and true to the artist’s original intent.
Engineering partner: RBHU — rbhu.org
Flybrary, 40’, Global Design, Connection
Detailing, Foundation/Anchorage
Wings of Wind, 28’, Wind Powered, Foundation/
Anchorage
3 Charla Elizabeth Statement
The Flower of Esperanza is a sculptural response to the themes of transformation, renewal, and collective care voiced by the Dream Homes community. The community’s vision for Esperanza—hope— resonates deeply with my practice, which has long explored growth, renewal, and the symbolic language of organic form as expressions of shared care. Rising in a spiral of flowing, petal-like forms, the work reflects growth and an expression of hope shaped by resilience.
My practice explores organic geometry as a language of nurture and emergence. Here, movement and light become metaphors for renewal, creating a form that is both grounded and uplifting. Designed to be experienced in the round, the sculpture invites connection from every approach, offering a sense of welcome, affirmation, and continuity.
In Esperanza Park, the sculpture stands not as a monument, but as a gesture of care—rooted in place, open to the sky, and reflective of a community’s commitment to growth, safety, and shared future. 4 Community Context
Esperanza Park, Cathedral City —
Coachella Valley
Esperanza Park is the result of years of collective effort by residents of the Dream Homes neighborhood—a community
shaped by strong advocacy, shared vision, and ongoing
investment in public space, recreation, and care. Situated within the Coachella Valley and framed by desert landscape and mountain vistas, the park serves as a vital gathering place for families, children, and neighbors.
The surrounding community is rich in cultural identity, with a strong Hispanic presence that shapes daily life, traditions, and shared values. Through extensive community outreach, residents articulated a desire for public art that reflects resilience, transformation, and hope—imagery that feels welcoming, safe, and affirming for children and families. The artwork at the park’s entrance is envisioned as a visible expression of that shared aspiration.
5 Commission Artwork Concept
The Flower of Esperanza
The Flower of Esperanza is a twelve-foot sculptural form designed specifically for the Esperanza Park roundabout.
Composed of spiraling, petal-like elements that rise from a shared center, the sculpture evokes growth, transformation, and emergence.
Inspired by natural processes—flowers opening, butterflies in motion, wind shaping the landscape—the form translates
organic movement into a durable, contemporary language of powder-coated steel. The sculpture suggests motion without kinetic parts, creating a sense of vitality while remaining safe and low-maintenance.
Designed fully in the round, the work offers a complete experience from every approach, revealing shifting
relationships of curve and rhythm as viewers move around it.
Positioned at the park’s entrance, The Flower of Esperanza functions as both landmark and welcome—an emblem of
hope rooted in community and renewal.
The Flower of Esperanza — proposed sculpture for the
Esperanza Park Roundabout
6 The form of The Flower of Esperanza is shaped by ideas of emergence, protection, and collective growth. Its upward spiral suggests transformation over time — a movement from rootedness toward openness — while the petal-like elements create a sense of shelter and expansion rather than enclosure.
The tapering geometry and flowing curves reference natural cycles found in flowers, wings, and wind, forms that signal resilience and adaptability. These elements echo the community’s expressed desire for imagery associated with rebirth and metamorphosis, including butterflies and rainbows, without relying on literal representation.
Through abstraction, the sculpture offers a shared symbol rather than a fixed narrative. Its open, balanced structure invites multiple readings, allowing viewers of different ages and backgrounds to find their own meanings within the form — a reflection of hope as something lived, evolving, and held in common.
Form and Symbolism
Detail view highlighting the sculpture’s flowing, tapering forms and upward spiral.
7 Maquette & Process
Hand-formed polymer clay elements prepared as
individual sculptural components prior to assembly.
Surface refinement and edge softening to achieve
continuity and fluid line quality.
Maquette assembly exploring spatial relationships, vertical lift, and movement in the round.
8 Resolved maquette
Final maquette exploring vertical lift, radial balance, and movement in the round.
9 Night Presence & Community Light
At night, The Flower of Esperanza becomes a beacon.
Softly illuminated from within and below, the sculpture glows with subtle color, introducing hues the community explicitly asked to see—color as joy, visibility, and
affirmation.
Rather than a single fixed color, the lighting allows for gentle variation, reflecting the diversity of the
neighborhood and the spirit of celebration embedded in
Esperanza Park. The glow is calm and welcoming,
designed to enhance safety and visibility without
overpowering the landscape.
This nighttime presence transforms the roundabout into
a shared landmark—something seen on evening walks,
from car windows, and during community gatherings.
The sculpture does not disappear after sunset; it
continues to offer warmth, orientation, and care.
10 Conceptual
Drawings
Conceptual
Drawings
Materials, Fabrication & Structural Approach
Materials
• A500 Grade C HSS steel
• Precision welded steel construction
• Exterior powder coating
• Stainless steel fasteners
• The sculpture will be engineered with
anticipated human interaction in mind,
including climbing and physical
engagement by children, and will meet all
applicable safety and engineering
standards in coordination with a
California-licensed Professional Engineer
and the City’s Public Works Department.
Fabrication Plan
• Fabricator: Southern California–based shop to be selected post-approval • Rolled and welded steel construction
• Artist-led oversight in coordination with engineer
• Final shop selected post-approval
Foundation & Anchorage
• Reinforced concrete foundation coordinated with roundabout conditions • Steel base plate anchorage with concealed connections • Engineered for wind, seismic, and traffic-adjacent safety requirements • Final foundation design reviewed and approved by a California-licensed Professional Engineer
• Coordination with City Public Works and utilities prior to installation 13 Preliminary Budget
14 • Final design approval and conceptual renderings
• Review by Cathedral City Public Arts Commission
• Contract execution, insurance, and administrative
setup
Phase 2: Engineering & Permitting (Months 3–4)
• Structural engineering analysis and stamped
drawings
• Site-specific calculations and foundation coordination • Permitting and agency approvals
Phase 3: Full-Scale Fabrication (Months 5–7)
• Material procurement and component fabrication
• Precision rolling, welding, and internal structural
framework
• Surface preparation and powder coating
Phase 4: Site Prep & Installation Logistics (Month 8)
• Coordinate with site contractors and City staff
• Schedule lift equipment and transport
• Create installation plan and timeline
Phase 5: Installation & Safety Inspection (Month 9)
• Sculpture installation on-site
• Anchoring, alignment, and safety testing
• Final inspection and sign-off
• Opening ceremony and press outreach
Project Schedule
Estimated Total Duration: 9 - 10 Months
Phase 1: Proposal & Approval (Months 1–2)
15 Maintenance and Conservation Plan
Routine Maintenance
• Cleaning: Annual or semi-annual rinsing with water and mild, non-abrasive detergent to remove dust and environmental residue. No pressure washing required.
• Inspection: Visual inspection once per year to check for surface wear, coating integrity, or hardware loosening. • Landscaping Coordination: Ensure surrounding plantings do not trap moisture against the base or abrade the surface.
Lighting Maintenance
• System: Low-voltage, ground-mounted LED uplights.
• Longevity: LED fixtures rated for 50,000+ hours.
• Service: Individual fixtures can be replaced independently without disturbing the sculpture or foundation.
Surface & Finish
• Material: Structural steel (A500 Grade C HSS), welded and sealed. • Finish: UV-stable, exterior-grade powder coating rated for 20+ years of color retention. • Graffiti: Powder-coated surfaces are graffiti-resistant and can be cleaned with approved solvents without damage to the finish.
Structural Integrity
• Engineered and reviewed by a California-licensed Professional Engineer • Anchored to a reinforced concrete foundation designed for wind loads and seismic conditions. • No moving parts; no water features.
16 Site Integration and Community
Impact
The Flower of Esperanza is envisioned as a welcoming
presence at the heart of Esperanza Park—a place shaped
through years of collective effort, care, and renewal. Positioned within the roundabout, the sculpture becomes a visual anchor and gathering point, encountered by families, children, and neighbors as they move through the park’s daily rhythms.
Because the form is abstract yet familiar—echoing petals, butterflies, and wind—it allows viewers of all ages to project their own meanings onto it. In this way, The Flower of
Esperanza becomes not only a landmark, but a living emblem of welcome, pride, and collective possibility.
The Flower of Esperanza integrated into Esperanza Park, inviting gathering, movement, and everyday interaction within the community.
17 Closing Statement & Thank You
The Flower of Esperanza is designed to stand with
quiet confidence — open, resilient, and responsive
to its surroundings.
Rooted in the lived values of the community and
shaped through careful attention to form,
movement, and durability, the sculpture offers a
lasting presence at the park’s threshold. It marks a
place of arrival and return — one that honors
growth, safety, and shared experience without
demanding interpretation.
As Esperanza Park continues to serve as a
gathering place for families and neighbors, this work
is intended to remain steady and welcoming over
time — a gesture of care, shaped by community and
held in common.
Thank you for the opportunity to share this proposal.
With appreciation,
Charla Freeman Elizabeth
18