Redwood trees and copper are built into a new public art piece on the Mission Plaza lawn in San Luis Obispo.
The sculpture titled "Sculpture Jam" was created by Bruce Johnson, a San Francisco-based sculptor known for his large-scale, abstract contemporary wood and metal work. Johnson often worked on pieces made of salvaged redwood with copper details, describing his work as a “fusion of form and energy that honors the spirit of the materials.” His sculptures reflect architectural traditions such as Stonehenge and Japanese Shinto shrines.
Johnson was an internationally recognized sculptor whose works appear in public art collections across Italy, Spain, Taiwan, and throughout the United States. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and studied art at the University of California, Davis. He spent decades creating art before his death in 2023 in a studio accident at the age of 75.
The city chose Johnson’s artwork because its organic forms, created from trees, connect the community with nature and the environment, enhancing San Luis Obispo’s public art landscape. The installation becomes part of San Luis Obispo’s approximately 150 unique pieces of public art in the city’s public art program, which supports creative expression throughout shared spaces.
The total project cost was about $55,000, which included an 18-month lease of the sculpture, fabrication, installation, care and maintenance, deinstallation, and related expenses.
For more information about the City’s Public Art Program, visit www.slocity.org/PublicArt.
