Durable Outdoor Yarn Serves as Artist's Palette
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Minnesota artist and sculptor Randy Walker borrows ideas from the mundane tools of everyday rural life. In his hands, a corn crib, saw blade or fish trap becomes a framework for a rich network of string or yarn transformed into new dimensions. With plans in place for a sculpture depicting a grain elevator, Walker knew he required a material that would hold up to the rigors of the outdoor landscape. Practical and beautiful at the same time, Safety Components' WeatherMax yarn plays a starring role in one of Walker's most recent pieces, called Dream Elevator.
When commissioned to create a sculpture in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Walker drew inspiration from the city's historic Peavey Haglin grain elevator. The 1899 experimental circular concrete grain storage facility was the first of its kind. "It seemed appropriate to create a work of art that was as daring as the original utilitarian structure," said Walker. A pedestrian greenway connects the sculpture to the old grain elevator, which still stands.
Dream Elevator consists of seven stainless steel sections mounted atop a concrete base to form a 44' cylindrical tower. The airy stainless steel grid serves as a framework for over 10,000' of WeatherMax yarn woven into cords of four colors. Walker chose the Safety Components' product for his open air artwork because of its water-repellent, fade-resistant and sag-proof properties.
" I sought a yarn that had a combination of color retention, stability, abrasion resistance and affordability," said Walker of his sculpture. "I have used solution-dyed acrylic for temporary applications, but needed a more resilient yarn for this project. WeatherMax was one of the only products that had been tested, and had the data to back it up."
The rugged fabrics made by Safety Components, meet the needs of numerous marine, outdoor, industrial, military and safety applications. WeatherMax is solution-dyed to produce a fabric with superior light fastness and color saturation. Filament yarns ensure the fiber's elasticity, while the HydroMax finish makes it durable and water-repellent.
"WeatherMax yarn had the perfect combination of characteristics I sought to make my rope," added Walker. "I look forward to using Safety Components' materials on future projects." More about Randy Walker and his artwork can be found at www.randywalkerarts.com.
Contact WeatherMax by Safety Components, 40 Emery St., Greenville, SC 29605. 864-240-2712; Fax: 864-240-5947. www.weathermax.net.
