Wave Dance
Aliso Creek Plaza, Laguna Beach, CA
5.7′ × 4′ × 1.4′ — stainless steel, concrete
Commissioned by Aliso Creek Plaza, Laguna Beach
Installed along an entry at Aliso Creek Plaza, Wave Dance captures the vitality and grace of dolphins in motion. Three stainless steel panels are layered to create depth and shifting silhouettes, their leaping forms framed within a circular composition of flowing waves. The center panel differs subtly from the front and back panels, introducing a staggered placement of dolphins that gives the illusion of movement as viewers walk or drive past.
Fabricated in hand-brushed stainless steel, the surfaces interact with sunlight to reveal a constantly changing interplay of highlights and shadows. From close range, intricate cutouts define the curves of fins, tails, and crests of water; from a distance, the composition resolves into a rhythmic dance across the pedestal’s face.
The work honors Laguna Beach’s deep connection to the Pacific, offering a moment of dynamic energy and ocean-inspired joy in the flow of daily life.
Three stainless steel panels form a layered composition of dolphins leaping through ocean waves.
Installed at Aliso Creek Plaza, the sculpture offers shifting views for drivers and pedestrians.
Pierced stainless steel panels create silhouettes that shift with changing light and viewer movement.
Hand-brushed stainless steel surfaces catch and reflect sunlight, enhancing depth and motion.
Design drawings for front, middle, and back panels — the staggered middle panel creates the illusion of movement — with fabrication and pedestal casting process.