2012/12.1, December 5 — Water and Sculpture, Rain Fall Features, The Magic Fountain and more

Forms and Figures

Water and works of art have been near-constant companions for millennia, but that traditional pairing now seems to be generating fresh enthusiasm, says watershape designer/builder Randy Beard, with more and more property owners seeking to make unique statements by putting artworks on display in and around water. He takes a look at this emerging trend here, using a number of his recent projects in southern California to illustrate the point.

This article, originally published in July 2008, has been digitized for all readers. Once you click ‘more’ on the next screen, you can zoom in on images to study the craftsmanship in detail. [continue]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Untangling Backyard Battles

The couples he works with sometimes bring unresolved design conflicts to the table. Some are minor, observes Scott Cohen, but others can run a project off the rails if the designer isn’t prepared to work with both clients and move through the skirmishes in positive ways. [more]

Video #1: Rain Fall

Through the years, Mike Farley‘s clients have peppered him with questions about their new watershapes. Now he saves himself a bit of time by referring them to a video resource he’s developing to aid not only his own clients, but also anyone else who can use the information. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Feeling Grateful

It’s the time of year when expressing gratitude is the order of the day, writes Jim McCloskey. That’s why he’staking this opportunity to give thanks and praise to the many watershapers who’ve helped make our transition from print to digital go so much more smoothly. [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

The Skinny on Skimmers

Set up properly, a skimmer steadily does its job of removing debris from the water’s surface — a low-key but important role, observes Steve Gutai, who continues his series on basic watershape hydraulics here with a look at the function and proper installation of these devices. [more]

Spanish Rhapsody

Barcelona’s a special place, writes Jim McCloskey, and benefited greatly from the effort that went into preparing the city for the 1992 Olympics. A case in point is the splendid Magic Fountain of Montjuic, a pioneering watershape and a marvel everyone should see. [more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Finding the Look

Five years ago, David Tisherman answered to a newspaper reporter’s question by making a case that watershapes were more about art than the technologies in which she was most interested. Was he correct? [more]

Missy Franklin Reveals Which
College She Plans to Attend

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late – including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. Seventeen-year-old U.S. Olympic swim star Missy Franklin has announced where she plans to attend college and continue her competitive swimming career. In fact, she sent an official letter of intent to the school. Where did she decide to go?

a. UCLA b. UC Berkeley c. University of Arizona d. University of Colorado.

2. An operator of swimming pools across one European country has prohibited women from shaving in the facilities’ showers after other women swimmers complained it made them feel uncomfortable. Which country?

a. Denmark b. France c. The Netherlands d. Sweden.

3. Residents of this national capital have complained about female tourists who wear extremely skimpy swimming attire – including G-string swimsuits – at public pools where children are present. What national capital is it?

a. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia b. Accra, Ghana c. Montevideo, Uruguay d. Windhoek, Namibia.

To find out how many you got right, click here.