I was in Laramie in November 2010 and able to attend a lecture given by Chris Drury at the University of Wyoming Art Museum. He spoke and showed images of a number of previous works. His focus was on the use of materials and the process of ‘making,’ and he highlighted the uniqueness and context of each piece. Chris was slated to create a site specific work during the summer of 2011 on the UW campus. I was curious to see how the piece turned out having been to the lecture. So in December 2011, while in Laramie,  I went to see Chris Drury’s piece, Carbon Sink on the campus of the University of Wyoming. Due to the underpinnings of the piece, it apparently stirred some comment from the mineral industry. Commentary generated by art is always a good thing as it gives us an opportunity to educate each other and foster dialog, however when it is happening sometimes it’s not that easy.

Artists have an obligation to dialog with issues as they relate to their work and communication style. Stirring a conversation is one of the greatest gifts artists can give to the world. Encouraging the development of an open framework for differing viewpoints, learning more about other points of view and seeing where our interests and perspectives overlap, is life giving. Ensuring that our humanity is more deeply understood is key to our ability to adapt in our rapidly changing world.


It had snowed two days before and due to its location just north of some large trees, there was an uneven, yet patterned overlay on the work. It obscured the piece to some extent making it more mysterious and made me wonder if it was man made or nature made.

His massive land-based works which reference nature in a variety of ways are each unique reflections of place. He states he is most interested in making connections between different phenomena with specific emphasis on nature and culture, inner and outer and microcosm and macrocosm. His pieces are determined by materials, setting and context.

The spiral nature of the work reminded me of The Spiral Jetty, located at the north end of the Great Salt Lake which I visited a few years ago. The use of native local materials, the interplay of nature and science in the underpinnings of the form and it’s proximity to the earth.