Public Art
"Allochory" / Las Cruces, New Mexico, City Hall Permanent Installation
2025
"Allochory", City Hall, Las Cruces, New Mexico
Permanently installed on site in October 2025.
"Allochory" was inspired by the triadic seed pod of the Red Yucca, a native plant of central and west Texas. At 7 feet tall it is 80 times larger than a natural red yucca seed pod. Named for a method of seed dispersal, Spinello constructed this sculpture as an homage to humans who help spread and maintain the proliferation of native Texas plants in our cityscapes and home gardens.
You can read more about the installation process on my blog.
Permanently installed on site in October 2025.
"Allochory" was inspired by the triadic seed pod of the Red Yucca, a native plant of central and west Texas. At 7 feet tall it is 80 times larger than a natural red yucca seed pod. Named for a method of seed dispersal, Spinello constructed this sculpture as an homage to humans who help spread and maintain the proliferation of native Texas plants in our cityscapes and home gardens.
You can read more about the installation process on my blog.
"Hibiscus Seed Pod" / Silver City, New Mexico, City Hall Annex Permanent Installation
2025
This sculpture was inspired by a seed pod I found at the edge of Caddo Lake in Texas, back in 2018. I built it later that year after deciding to turn several of my small paper maquettes based on seed pod forms into larger metal works. It was selected by the state of New Mexico to be installed at the Silver City Hall Annex in 2025.
"Lithic Islands" / Oertli Park / Austin, Texas
2025
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“Honeycomb” limestone, also known as “Holey” limestone and “Karst” is a natural geological feature of central Texas that is full of cavities, holes, and interconnected voids within its structure. These distinctive features are primarily formed through dissolution and erosion. The role of limestone in supporting plant life, shelter for animals, their beauty, and their ecological importance attracted me and inspired me to create a sculpture installation at Oertli Park inspired by these features.
As visitors approach, they are drawn to the sculptures' striking appearance; perforated with open cells, just like real limestone but clearly manmade. The shapes and forms mimic nature’s designs as if these sculptures have been weathered by countless seasons. The sculptures serve as more than just art pieces; they are designed to enhance the park's ecological diversity. Within the holes and crevices of these sculptures, a microcosm of life will thrive. Tiny insects will find refuge, lizards and toads will find shelter, and birds will hunt for food. These sculptures will become living habitats, embodying the park's commitment to preserving biodiversity and contributing to a healthier prairie ecosystem. These sculptures are not just art; they are symbols of stewardship, a reminder that art and nature can coexist in harmony. My intention is for these works to be similar to tide pools, in that they are an opportunity to learn about the environment through firsthand curiosity, discovery, and inspire visitors to become stewards of local plants and wildlife. The native plant garden will be installed in collaboration with the Monarch Sanctuary project in late October 2025. The photos are of the sculpture installation before the garden has been installed. I will add updated photos after the garden is filled in. |
"Carapace" / Richmond Sculpture Trail / Houston, TX
2023-2024
Jamie Spinello ,"Carapace", Aluminum, Vinyl, 8'x4'x4'
installed on Richmond Blvd in Houston, Tx 2023 |
“Carapace" is an 8-foot-tall sculpture inspired by the patterns in cocoons, triceratium diatoms, and the shape of a heart cockle shell. As the passage of the sun changes throughout the sky and eventually sets behind the piece, the colors of the film inside the ethereal aluminum shell change accordingly. The color glow subtly shifts during the brightest part of the day, reading more as a mysterious ethereal internal light floating from an unknown source within the shell, getting more prominent as the sun goes down. At night, it is illuminated from within, allowing the film to take on a duo-chromatic hues of blue and red. It was installed as part of the Richmond Sculpture Trail 2023-2024 on Richmond Ave in Houston, TX.
Carapace was partially funded by the City of Houston and the St. George Place Redevelopment Authority and curated by Redbud Arts Center. This sculpture is available for permanent installation and is looking for its forever home. |
"Chrysaline" / Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center / Austin, TX
2022-2023
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This public art project was funded by the University of Texas and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
“Chrysaline”, is inspired by the chrysalis of both Pipevine Swallowtail and Variegated Fritillary butterflies. It was installed for the Lady Bird Johnson’s annual “Fortlandia” 2022 exhibit. The overall contour is abstracted from the papery, leaf mimicking shape of a Pipevine swallowtail chrysalis, and the metallic quality is inspired by the reflective and jewel-like chrysalis of a Variegated Fritillary butterfly. The interior is a transformative and meditative space that elicits feelings of calm reflection. Kaleidoscopic lenses are installed throughout, presenting an opportunity to experience a change in perception once inside the chrysalis. This sculpture is available for permanent installation and is looking for its forever home. |
Jamie Spinello ,"Chrysaline", Aluminum, Acetate, Resin, 20' x 6' x 7'
installed at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin,TX
Oct 2022 - Feb 2023
installed at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin,TX
Oct 2022 - Feb 2023
"Allochory" / Hampton Branch Library, Austin, TX
Tempo Program 2019
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Las Cruces, NM / City Hall Permanent Acquisition
2025
Jamie Spinello ,"Allochory", Aluminum , 7ft x 7ft x 7ft , 2019
installed at Hampton Branch Library, Austin, TX above photo courtesy of Phillip Rogers |
This sculpture was funded by the City of Austin, Art In Public Places, Tempo 2019 Program. It was installed at Hampton Branch Library, along the Anne and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail along Lady Bird Lake, as well as on Heights Blvd in Houston Texas as part of the True North Sculpture Exhibit. It is slated to be permanently installed at the Las Cruces City Hall in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
"Allochory" was inspired by the triadic seed pod of the Red Yucca, a native plant of central and west Texas. At 7 feet tall it is 80 times larger than a natural red yucca seed pod. Named for a method of seed dispersal, Spinello constructed this sculpture as an homage to humans who help spread and maintain the proliferation of native Texas plants in our cityscapes and home gardens. This piece was also installed as part of The True North Sculpture Installation on Heights Blvd in Houston, TX for 2021 and has been purchased for installation at City Hall in Las Cruces, New Mexico to be permanently installed in 2025. |
"Hibiscus Moscheutos Seed Pod"
Silver City, NM City Hall Annex Permanent Acquisition
2025
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I created this sculpture after collecting a hibiscus seed pod on the edge of Caddo Lake in Texas. This hibiscus is commonly referred to as "Swamp Hibiscus" but has a native range throughout the southeastern and southwestern states of North America. I built this as part of a series of sculptures inspired by various seedpods in 2018. It was exhibited at the Femme Abstract Exhibit in Austin in 2018.
I also exhibited this work alongside several of my other sculptures in the Irene W. Pennington Rooftop Terrace sculpture garden at the LSU Museum of Art in 2020. This sculpture was purchased by the state of New Mexico for permanent installation at the city hall annex in Silver City, New Mexico, in 2025.
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"Alsclepius Ecclesia" / Milwood Branch Library, Austin, TX
Tempo Program 2018
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Houston, TX / George Bush Intercontinental Airport Permanent Acquisition
2021
"Asclepius Ecclesia", Aluminum and Stainless Steel, 4.5' x 4.5', 2018
installed at Milwood Library, Austin, TX above photo courtesy of Phillip Rogers |
This public art installation was funded by the City of Austin, Art In Public Places, Tempo 2018 Program and is now part of the Houston Intercontinenal Airport permanent collection.
"Allochory" is an abstraction of a native central Texas plant, the Antelopehorns Milkweed, scientific name “Asclepias Asperula”. My love for the Antelopehorns milkweed started when I was driving home through the fields of prairie land that surrounds my neighborhood and noticed that areas of the field looked as if someone had placed random popcorn balls scattered throughout the field. Curious, I pulled over to investigate. As I approached these popcorn ball-like forms dotting the landscape I realized that they were plants, space-pod Buckminster Fuller looking plants that I had never seen before, clusters of flowers writhing in motion.
I have never encountered another plant before or since with such a wide spectrum of wildlife dependent upon it. Sadly, that field has since been turned into an apartment complex. The scraping and replacement of native plants within the city of Austin is an ongoing issue we face as more condos and new developments move in on every inch of open land. We can help re-establish native habitats for native plants and insects by incorporating more native plants into our home gardens. This sculpture was exhibited in the Irene W. Pennington Rooftop Terrace sculpture garden at the LSU Museum of Art in 2020. This sculpture is now part of the Bush Intercontinental Airport's permanent collection in Houston, TX. |
Over the years I have collected many milkweeds from construction sites slated to be turned into parking lots and successfully transplanted them into my yard. I have also collected flowers and taken molds of them and then cast them in Sterling Silver or Bronze, incorporating them into my sculpture pieces and my jewelry designs.
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Links to native seed suppliers and Texas native plant organizations
Buy Antelopehorns Milkweed seeds: milkweed seeds
Native Plant Society of Austin: https://npsot.org/wp/
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: https://www.wildflower.org/plants-main
Central Texas Seed Library, Austin, Tx https://library.austintexas.libguides.com/seedsandgardening
Native Plant Society of Austin: https://npsot.org/wp/
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: https://www.wildflower.org/plants-main
Central Texas Seed Library, Austin, Tx https://library.austintexas.libguides.com/seedsandgardening