Nature of Life
Created for Horace Mann Elementary School in San Jose, California, Nature of Life is a site-specific project composed of five interconnected installations designed to engage students with the natural world around them. Through interactive, tactile, and visual experiences, the project encourages curiosity, observation, and a deeper awareness of the local environment.
Each of the five works offers a distinct way of exploring the connection between art, nature, and learning. Animal footprints are stamped into concrete near the drinking fountain, inviting discovery with every step. A reproduction of a Dilophosaurus fossil enlivens a schoolyard wall, connecting present-day life to the region’s prehistoric past. Bronze plaques identify local minerals, trees, and animals outside each classroom, linking the building itself to its ecological surroundings.
On the classroom windows, twenty-six California birds—each corresponding to a letter of the alphabet—have been sandblasted into glass, turning sunlight into an ever-changing alphabet of wings. Inside, a series of banners for the multi-use room draws from the imagery of a mosaic mural from the former school site, preserving a sense of continuity and memory.
Together, these elements create a learning environment that celebrates curiosity and interconnection. By merging play, art, and natural science, Nature of Life transforms the school into a living classroom—one that fosters awareness, creativity, and respect for the world students inhabit.
Special thanks to Master Fabricator Steve Carr, Exhibit Design (805) 541-1201.