In Collaboration with Artist Thomas Sayre
Splinter Creek Residential Community
"Creek Dancers" is the latest collaboration between artist Thomas Sayre and Lucas Concrete, located within the serene Splinter Creek community in Taylor, Mississippi. This elegant earth cast installation graces the natural shoreline of a private lake, offering a contemplative connection between art, movement, and the landscape.
The artwork began as a series of expressive charcoal studies inspired by the gestures of a modern female dancer. These sketches were then translated into large-scale sculptural forms, cast directly into the earth, and carefully placed to animate the lakeside views. The resulting forms appear to rise organically from the ground, as if mid-motion—caught in a permanent, graceful arc of dance.
Surrounded by water, forest, and sky, the sculptures change subtly with the light and weather, offering dynamic views for residents and visitors from every angle. Like a dancer in motion, the installation never appears the same twice—bringing rhythm and spirit to the quiet beauty of Splinter Creek.
The fabrication of "Creek Dancers" required a high level of artistry and precision in translating fluid two-dimensional gestures into large, durable three-dimensional forms. The project originated with a series of charcoal figure studies by Thomas Sayre, capturing the energy and poise of modern dance.
To bring these forms to life, Lucas Concrete employed the earth casting method—shaping large, dancer-inspired voids directly into the Mississippi soil. Each cavity was carefully sculpted to mirror the sweeping gestures of the original drawings, taking into account how they would read from multiple vantage points around the lake.
Once prepared, the molds were filled with pigmented concrete, reinforced internally to ensure structural integrity and longevity. Earth casting provided not only the unique textures that respond to natural light but also allowed the sculptures to feel as though they emerged organically from the terrain itself.
The placement of each piece was carefully choreographed in the landscape to offer framed views and layered perspectives, adding depth and narrative to the experience. These sculptural “dancers” now stand in quiet movement, bridging art and nature in a timeless performance for the Splinter Creek community.