Prickly Pear Trio

This sculpture trio is a series of three stylized steel sculptures representing the prickly pear cactus—a plant that is iconic to the Southwest landscape.

I chose the prickly pear because it symbolizes resilience and adaptation. In the desert, prickly pears thrive in some of the harshest conditions—extreme heat, drought, poor soil/sand—and they still manage to survive and grow. That sense of strength and endurance really resonated with me, especially as I thought about how ecosystems, communities, and even individuals have to adapt to changing environments.

I chose to abstract and simplify the form rather than making the cacti hyper-realistic. I wanted the work to have a balance between being recognizable and being symbolic. The geometric lines and stylized shapes emphasize structure, movement, and the rhythm of growth,

When these sculptures are installed together, the space between them becomes part of the work. I thought a lot about how viewers would move around the pieces—how the angles shift as you walk by, how the negative space between the forms invites you to step closer or circle around. That sense of discovery is something I try to build into all of my sculptures.

Prickly Pear Trio is also a reflection on community. Each sculpture stands individually, but together they create a family-like grouping—a kinship that reflects how ecosystems, and human communities too, depend on relationships, support, and collective resilience.

Overall, Prickly Pear Trio is a celebration of the desert—its toughness, its beauty, and the quiet but powerful way it sustains life. Through material, form, and placement, I hoped to create a work that feels both strong and welcoming, encouraging reflection on our connection to the natural world.