City of Houston

South Gessner Houston Police Station

I am blessed to have had the opportunity to learn more about our city by meeting officers and citizens alike who truly want the world to be a better place. The privilege is mine to be the creator of artwork that will endure in their honor.

In learning about the patience, tolerance and vigilance police officers must exercise to do their job well, I was inspired to create sculptures that would transform their workspace in unexpected ways and encourage them in their day to day tasks.

For over fifteen years I’ve collected phrases I’ve heard people say aloud. Thirty-three of them have been cast in bronze and installed at the South Gessner police station throughout the hallways, community room and roll call room. I chose phrases from my collection that would shed light on the role of police within the community. Wise, reflective and witty, each phrase casts a shadow on the wall like the echo of a voice once heard and collectively they establish a work environment that is both introspective and challenging.

Officers and civilians must work together diligently to establish a safe and prosperous society. For the public lobby and outdoor sculptures I chose an abstracted honeycomb design that fits together like a puzzle to express the complexity and camaraderie of this unique relationship.

The sculpture for the lobby conveys the interconnected enclaves that comprise District 17’s communities with the use of colored glass and light in each honeycomb ‘window’. The piece sets the tone as one enters the station doors and offers a contemplative focal point for waiting visitors.

The outdoor sculpture is comprised entirely of stainless steel and expands with even more dimension and size on the complexity and beauty of the abstracted honeycomb design that is the relationship between the police and the community. Varying widths of stainless steel pipe and rod were used to build the pattern where each honeycomb ‘window’ has a paired ‘sibling’ bringing further dimension physically and conceptually. Rising over fifteen feet one might see figures, movement, growth, even shapes resembling police badges in this unique and powerful piece.

This project was particularly rewarding for me because I got to work with the station’s architects, police, and civic representatives to create pieces that connect with both the officers and the citizens they serve and protect.