The Santa Fe Railyard Art Project’s latest installation is a playful structure by artist James Gould that evokes agricultural heritage and places of shelter.
James Gould: Sprickle
on view through June 15, 2025
Railyard Park, Santa Fe
Not far from Questa, New Mexico, a certain barn may still be standing. Though clearly past its prime, it has adopted a new role for those who pause and consider what it has to offer despite its inevitable demise. Santa Fe-based artist James Gould took a cue from this barn when conceiving Sprickle, a multimedia installation presented by the Railyard Park Conservancy’s (RPC) Railyard Art Project (RAP). It is the first of two RAP projects supported in part by New Mexico Arts (a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs), the National Endowment for the Arts, and the City of Santa Fe’s Arts and Culture Department.
Constructed primarily with reclaimed wood and metal, Sprickle draws inspiration from neglected structures that have been left to weather and disintegrate. Pieces of the installation are intentionally missing, creating a visual celebration of light and shadow meant to evoke our agricultural heritage, places of shelter, and perhaps even a spirit house. Standing at some fifteen feet tall, but with a narrow four-by-seven-foot base, Sprickle is both imposing and playful, inviting viewers to ponder why it exists, what purpose it serves, and whether it’s a work in progress or something in decline.
“I’m intrigued with the role these structures play when no longer in the service of storing hay or housing animals,” says Gould. “The echo of being ‘once useful’ spurs contemplation about the fleeting nature of existence, the concerns of humans weighed against the gravity of time. My hope is that Sprickle will invite this sense of wonder by stirring memories and associations, or by simply being a visual delight.”
“Sprickle fits so seamlessly in the park that I can see the question forming as people approach it: ‘Has this always been here?’” adds RPC executive director Izzy Barr. “That combination of curiosity and awe, the familiar and the exotic, is what makes the piece such a compelling presence. We’re thrilled with how masterfully James brought Sprickle to life, in both the elegant craftsmanship and artistic detail.”
A lifelong artist who’s lived in Santa Fe for almost thirty years, Gould holds a bachelor’s degree in art with a studio concentration in painting and drawing. With an interest in joining an artistic sensibility with practical utility, he took up woodworking, often combining painted surfaces with sound craftsmanship. Recently, James has worked with found materials to create assemblage sculptures with a playful, idiosyncratic design aesthetic guided by intuition. His work has been exhibited and recognized with several awards. Gould taught in the Fine Woodworking Department of SFCC for many years. His creative practice is centered in the Trapezium, a workspace where no two surfaces are parallel.
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