20 Ga. Cold Rolled Steel, 5 x 6 x 9 Feet
JWR Memorial Park, Denver, Colorado

Once cured of years of migraines, Ringsby was surprised to discover that he had invested his own identity into that condition. He subconsciously thought of himself as a victim who deserved his suffering. Thus, he felt that if he did not spiritually restructure himself he would lapse right back into the familiarity of his previous condition and of self-victimization. Ringsby resolved to make a monumental sculpture of his new spiritual core in steel. He felt that in designing and constructing it perhaps he could force into spiritual reality. The form primarily derives from Ringsby’s advanced biological studies in the evolutionary morphology of vertebrates. The Dragon, (New Spiritual Core in Steel), 1990 is the synthesis of a primitive evolving vertebrate, a cornucopia, and Beethoven’s ear piece. The thin steel sheath forms The Dragon’s protective skin/scales/armor. Concentric cones define its body with tail/root/anchor firmly planted in the Earth. The head is broadly expanded and symbolically roaring. The title refers to the ineffable darkness we must overcome in order to live in peace and the internal strength, or character development, it takes to accomplish the task.