The Wave rolls out Rawlings' sculpture creation

Forty-two components comprise the giant puzzle, which the artist says creates a spectrum of reactions

It's yin and yang, positive and negative, male and female.

Those were just a few of sculptor John Rawlings' views of his undulating creation now hanging on the soaring wall off the entry of The Wave.

"What you get out of it is up to you," Rawlings said.

His giant puzzle of 42 components dive infinitely into each other above weight lifters in the new aquatic and fitness center in Whitefish.

Susan Seaman, the creative force behind The Wave's decor, challenged Rawlings to create a major work for the minimal dollars remaining in the art budget.

"In a moment of weakness, I said yes," he said with a laugh.

With more than 40 years experience teaching and producing art, Rawlings knew the pitfalls of the proposition he had accepted. Yet the seduction to stretch physically and artistically pulled him past his better judgment.

"It's a big project," he said. "I had never worked on a series of sculptures this large before."

He figured the work would consume about four weeks. Instead, it took four months or, with drawing time added in, maybe even six months.

Rawlings really has no idea except that the work cut into his normal art production.

"It's an act of sheer foolishness to keep track of your hours," he said.

His creation reflects his visceral responses to The Wave where he works out three or four times a week.

"The forms of the mountains viewed through the windows of The Wave were a major part of the inspiration for the piece," he said.

Rawlings' hard-driving rides aboard aerobic equipment took him into meditative states.

As he drew on these experiences, circles of descent appeared in his initial drawings.

For color, Rawlings was drawn to blue tones as appropriate for this work.

"I could have gone to heat but my idea was to be visually cooled," he said.

When he captured the concept in drawings, Rawlings began the discipline of refining and defining the dimensions. The first bump appeared of many loomed up immediately.

He realized that he couldn't fit a piece of that scale into his art studio.

"I felt really stupid," he said with a laugh.

Rawlings overcame that hurdle by renting space at the Mountain Mall. He began building his sculpture on bases of particle board with Masonite edges.

Creating the complex series of interlocking forms became a daunting, exasperating task.

"It's all math … all geometry," he said.

Finally, he got all the pieces cut out. They didn't fit together.

Rawlings consider quitting at least 100 times as he battled the his Goliath concept. Finally, he precisely fit his components together with their drum-tight canvas coverings.

It was time to select and apply high-quality latex paint.

His challenge came in finding medium tones in a cool series of values that balanced the warm values of The Wave decor. It was back to math and tapping his master's thesis in color theory.

Finally, the months of struggle ended. Rawlings had one weekend to hang his pieces into a sculpture.

Lots of friends volunteered to help, yet he found himself not wanting anyone but his significant other to share the moment of truth when he received the verdict of his efforts.

"My friends thought I knew what I was doing," he said with a laugh.

The couple spent a tense weekend coaxing the pieces into place atop a manlift. Rawlings recalled an unsettling feeling as he turned and walked away from the wall to view the sculpture.

"When you see it, it either says yes or no," he said.

When he turned around, Rawlings felt relieved as he heard yes.

"I said, 'You know, it's okay. I like it.'"

The artist was prepared for a full spectrum of opinions about his creation. Rawlings said he tells his students at Flathead Valley Community College the act of creating and displaying requires personal bravery.

Because he supports himself through teaching, Rawlings said he has avoided the limits of producing art that pleases the buying public.

"I've never responded to restrictions," he said. "If you make art to make money, you will accept restrictions."

Rawlings succeeded in not making money on this piece. But he was happy to contribute to the facility he enjoys so much.

He points out that all the artists sold their work at sizable discounts to The Wave. To Rawlings, the art works have given the fitness facility a special character which he loves.

He said his piece was warmly received by the designer Seaman and management.

"People here have been so kind," he said.

But Rawlings warned them that the work would not please everyone.

As predicted, Rawlings' creation has elicited a spectrum of appreciation: positive and negative, yin and yang, male and female. For a piece of public art, strong opinions equal success.

"I was going for an emotional feel," Rawlings said.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.