Timelines

In Timelines, each sculpture traces a plant through its annual growth cycle. Penn collects buds, blooms, and seeds, casts them in bronze, and arranges them in descending order. Quartz “wafer carriers,” borrowed from the chip industry, support the forms, creating torso-height sculptures that resemble ribs along a glass spine.

The plant itself dictates the composition: some swell at the middle during bloom, others taper like pyramids when seeds dominate. Echoing Phenology, the study of lifecycle events, each species leaves its own signature. In this process, Penn steps back, relinquishing control and embracing stewardship, letting the natural world shape the final work.

Pieces in this series are made from glass, bronze, brass, steel, nickel, and copper and typically measure approximately 40 x 12 x 6 inches.