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Remembering Grant Smith
Watershaper Grant Smith passed away in his sleep on November 15th, leaving behind a legacy of honor, artistry, and leadership. Through his company, Aqua Link Pools & Spas, Grant was a frequent collaborator among the WU community and the watershaping industry at large. ...
The Key to Collaboration
Designer Randy Angell believes in the power of working together, a value he learned as a kid singing in choirs. Today, he applies the idea of synergistic creativity to his design practice, bringing a team together to create unique environments based on a collection of talents working as one.    ...
The Challenge of Saying “No”
Watershape designer, landscape architect and educator, Jason Brownlee, is typically in the habit of embracing the opportunities that come his way. But as he explains here, sometimes saying no, or at least, not now, is the more beneficial response. That’s especially true in the current market where the demand is pushing watershapers in all categories to their practical limits. ...
The Uncommon Garden
For more than two decades, watershape designer and builder Ryan Oakes has leant his talents to the ongoing creation of a place known as “The Uncommon Garden” located in Chapel Hill, N.C. Here he takes us on walk through the history of a space so unique, whimsical and imaginative that it defies convenient description – and, yes, it does feature dragons.   ...
Seeds of Integrity
Effective branding and marketing start with who you are, says Kurt Kraisinger, and as he points out in this incisive diatribe on success, there are no short cuts to integrity.   ...
Garden Artisans Offers Giant Leaf Fountains
Garden Artisans (Annapolis, Md.) sells giant leaf fountains by Henri Studios. The fountain is crafted of cast stone (concrete) and offered in a range of both standard and custom finishes. The design features water cascading over four large leaves. It measures 35 inches high, 36 inches wide and 34 inches front to back. It weight 466 pounds. To learn more, go here.
Why Rivers Bend
Have you ever wondered why rivers almost always form snake-like forms as they move downslope toward their destinations? The underlying science is both sublime in concept and profound in its implications, stretching from how the Grand Canyon was formed to the way energy is disbursed as water flows through pipes.    ...
Building Educational Bridges
Watershape University is ready to meet the increasing need for industry education, both online and in person, across a spectrum of mission-critical topic areas. Co-founder, Dave Peterson, recently appeared on an episode of Ask the Master’s podcast showcasing the range of programs WU is delivering in the post-pandemic era. ...
Voices from the Designer’s Den
As part of its Wolfpack Webinar Wednesdays live online series, Watershape University has presented three installments of Design 1921: Designers Den Series, hosted by Mike Nantz. The idea is to pull back the curtain on the design process through the eyes of some of the industry’s leading designers as a source of insight, advice and inspiration. ...