The Slice

The Slice, 2023
compacted earth, pigment, concrete, stainless steel

The Slice is a rammed-earth wall that mimics the geologic strata of the region surrounding Stephenville, Texas. Soil, small rocks and pigment were mixed, poured into a form layer-by-layer, and compacted with manual tools to create the wall. Each layer represents millions of years of environmental change.

The Slice’s blue layers indicate the presence of water in specific strata of the Trinity Aquifer. These waters follow a general pattern, moving deeper and deeper below ground as you travel east across the Aquifer. Exact depths of the wet strata vary widely, but the scale on the end of the wall indicates general depth with 50 foot hatch marks. The embedded stainless steel rods represent wells used to access this precious resource.

One of three installations by Bridge Projects at The Ditch Water Discovery Center in Stephenville, Texas; a park designed to interpret the importance of water conservation in north-central Texas.