Installation of the 35th sculpture into Halagueño Arts Park occurred on Tuesday January 10, 2023. Spiral Spiral by Christopher Thompson, Master Blacksmith was secured in the Imaginarium section of the park. City employees worked alongside Thomson to install the sculpture which weighs 250 pounds. 

Thomson resides about 40 miles east of Santa Fe along a northern section of the Pecos River, where much of his inspiration comes from. “Inspiration comes to me while sitting by the Pecos River, then I go back to the shop and make something,” he shared.  

“The cool thing about sculpture is that what I can’t articulate into words flows with the sculpture and comes out in the art. That’s why I like sculpture,” Thomson said. 

Julia Heaton, committee chair for the Mayor’s Fine Arts Acquisition and Vetting (FAAV) committee shared “we are thrilled to have Spiral Spiral from an artist of Christopher Thomson’s caliber represented in the Halagueño Arts Park, especially in the Imaginarium. The movement and color are exciting,” she said. 

Coming up for the Halagueño Arts Park is Airplanes Airplanes by Kevin Box, set to be installed in between Spiral Spiral and Channeling Frank Kindel in a few weeks. Heaton also shared that phase 4, the History Garden will be coming in the future featuring busts of local historical figures. Heaton has worked diligently in making a vision come to life. “The Halagueño Arts Park has been a labor of love for years,” Heaton said. 

The Halagueño Arts Park is located at 101 S Halagueño in Carlsbad, NM on the complex with the Carlsbad Public Library and Carlsbad Museum. To learn more about artist Christopher Thomson, visit his website at https://christopherthomsonironworks.com/