If you've ever waited for the stoplight at South Houghton and East Golf Links roads to change, you may have wondered about those columns on each corner of the intersection.
That's exactly the reaction artist Herb Stratford wanted to elicit when he created them.
"I was attempting to bring an element of thought to the pieces, so that if someone was stuck at that traffic light, they might experience the works from different directions and eventually get what I was depicting - that is the four elements and a totem pole of sorts," Stratford said.
The artist said he wanted to make something that could be placed on all four corners, and the classical elements - earth, air, water and fire - "seemed perfect."
Each column is made of rammed earth and is topped with a steel cap. The caps all have a different design, each representing a different element.
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Stratford said he also wanted the art piece to be visible at night, and kinetic. The tops of each column rotate in the wind and have different-colored light bulbs - red, blue or white - to "heighten the theme."
"Although pollution from other lighting may now drown out that subtle difference (in color), they seem to have held up very well," said Stratford, who worked closely with neighbors on the concept.
"Earth, Fire, Air and Water" was created as part of a street-widening project and was completed in 2001.
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Contact reporter Angela Pittenger at 573-4203 or apitteng@azstarnet.com
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