VICKIE JO SOWELL
EDUCATION:
1978-1980 M.F.A. Mills College, Oakland, CA (Sculpture) 1974-1978 B.A., Montana State University, Bozeman, MT (Art) AWARDS/COMMISSIONS:
2015 The Future,, Richmond High School
Powder-baked enamel on steel
5 6' x 8' aquajet steel panels depicting aspects of the High School Curriculum Contract Value: $20,000
2014 Orange is the Happiest Color, Ecole Bilingue, Emeryville, CA Powder-baked enamel on zinc plated steel
Signature sculpture for new bilingual school campus. Panel designs present images and words in three languages
Contract Value: $27,600
2011 Marina Gates, Marinas Int'l, Emeryville, CA
Powder-baked enamel on zinc plated steel
4 sports fishing gates and 2 fence panels
Contract Value: $21,500
2011 McKinley LID Sign Project, City of Reno, Reno NV
Powder-baked enamel on steel
4 signs, with 8 mounted, plasma cut steel panels
Contract Value: $9,500
2010 The Evans Gates, Napa, CA
Painted enamel on steel
Metal leaf motif, front gates
Contract Value: $3,800
2010 Niles Panorama, Fire Station No. 2, Fremont, CA
Powder-baked enamel on steel
15 inset panels for new Fire Station in historic Niles district Contract Value: $27,500
2009 Gates4Yates, Anna Yates Elementary School, Emeryville, CA Enamel painted steel
Entryways and decorative fencing for Elementary school renovation Contract Value: $25,000
2008 Life is a Ball,King Park, Brentwood, CA
Welded Bronze
Commission for City of Brentwood, CA’s King Park. Figures of five bronze dogs are rendered in the act of leaping for a thrown ball. The standalone figure of “King,” Brentwood’s first licensed canine, sits nearby.
Contract Value: $44,000
2008 Roots of Oakland, Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA
10 tile mosaic panels with hand-crafted text and floral elements I was commissioned to provide 10 ceramic tile mosaic panels for the terraced main entryway to Alameda County’s Highland Hospital.
Contract Value: $13,000
2007 Sprazzo di Sole, Orinda, CA
Enamel on Steel
Commission installed at Private Residence, Orinda CA.
Contract Value:
$10,000
2007 Sweidy-Stata Poolhouse, Atherton, CA
Powder-baked enamel, zinc-dipped steel
Private Commission, Sweidy-Stata Home, Atherton, CA. I was commissioned to provide a full suite of artworks for the poolhouse location, including three gates, two railings, a large window treatment, and over 50 feet of ornamental fence.
Contract Value: $37,000
2005, 2007 Richmond Works, Richmond, CA
166 waterjet cut steel panels, powder-baked color coatings Public Art Commission for the City of Richmond’s Transit Village. The commission consists of approximately 600 feet of fence in three sections along Marina Way, bordering the Transit Village. Panels depict 7 original thematic designs relating to the people and times of Richmond. Follow-on for Traffic Circle barrier, 2007.
Contract Value: $150,000
2005 Stockton Heliotrope, Stockton, CA
Enamel on Steel 50’ diam.
Commission installed at Matt Equinoa Park in Stockton, California. Three sculptural sections sits atop a hexagonal shade structure establishing a spiraling floral bouquet that tracks the sun. Floral images are of native flowers that attract beneficial insects.
Contract Value: $20,000
2004 Neighborhood Convergence, Emeryville, CA
11 8’ tall Enamel painted steel figures
Public Art commission, Emeryville, CA. The commission consisted of eleven enamel-painted steel figures, each approximately 8’ tall, executed in collaboration with Emeryville painter M. Louise Stanley and lighting designer Jeremy Hamm. The figures are installed on both sides of the Powell Street undercrossing of Interstate 80 in Emeryville.
Contract Value: $125,000
2004 Fruitvale Revival, Oakland, CA
Public Art Commission, City of Oakland. The commission was for a central arch that combined architectural icons drawn from the Fruitvale district with organic fruit and branch fabrications that sprang from Fruitvale’s orchard heritage. This plaza entryway crowns four columns along the edge of International Boulevard. A follow-on commission put in place a similar single central arch around a hundred yards away.
Fruit glass enamels by Deborah Lozier
Contract Value: $30,000 + $12,000 f.o.
2002 Legends of Milpitas, Milpitas, CA
Installation for Murphy Park in Milpitas. Four pillars with capitals depicting aspects of local history.
Contract Value: $15,000
2002 Ironhorse Trail, Dublin, CA
Powder-baked enamel on Steel 183” x 103” x 6”
Percent-for-Art fulfillment, IronHorse Trail Housing project in Dublin, California. The commission included this signature marquee at the entrance to the project, and a series of treeguard elements along the streets there.
Contract Value: $22,000
2001 Michael’s Palette, Emeryville, CA
Powder-baked enamel on Steel 13’ x 10' x 8’
Commercial commission, percent-for-art fulfillment, Michaels Arts Store, Emeryville, CA Contract Value $17,000
2001 Emeryville Firestation #2
Powder-baked enamel on Steel 20’ x 3’ x 3” ,15’ x 4’ x .5” For the City’s first public art project for the Emeryville Firestation #2, I served as both sculptor and designer, serving as a design/color consultant for the entire facility in addition to the metalworks I installed.
Contract Value $25,000
2000 PickleWorks Gates and Signage (Percent for Art fulfillment) EXHIBITIONS:
2008 “Artscape Orinda,” 11 Public Art Sculptors
2004 “Off the Rim” Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ
2003 “Big Little” Jewelers and Sculptors in Metal, Oakland, CA 2000 "Introductions" Sculpture Garden, Wildwood Farm, Glenellen, CA 2000 "Interpreting the Figure" Mill Valley Sculpture Garden 1998 1078 Gallery, Chico, CA (2-person show)
1998 “Body and Soul” Matrix Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1998 S.F. Museum of Modern Art, Rental Gallery, San Francisco 1997 "Marked Metal" Richmond Arts Center, Richmond, CA
1997 "Humor, Parody, + Satire", PRSG at SF Design Center 1996 National Women's Caucus for the Arts, Mills College, Oakland, CA 1996 Pacific Rim Sculptors Group at the Mother Lode, Sonora, CA 1995 SF Women Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1995 Andrea Schwarz Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1994 Public Art Sculpture Exhibition, City of Santa Clara, CA 1994 Pacific Rim Sculptors Group, Syntex Gallery, Palo Alto, CA 1994 ISC Exhibition, Contract Design Center, San Francisco