‘Potentilla’ Blossoms as Scottsdale’s Northernmost Public Art

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Artist Mary Bates Neubauer, who describes herself as a “pattern detective,” has completed more than 30 public artworks across the United States and Italy during her distinguished career. // Photo Courtesy of Mary Bates Neubauer

In North Scottsdale’s Ashler Hills Park, something remarkable has taken root. Five perforated steel panels cast intricate shadows across pickleball and basketball courts, transforming what could have been ordinary shade structures into an extraordinary artistic experience.

This is “Potentilla,” the northernmost installation in the Scottsdale Public Art Permanent Collection, created by Arizona-based artist Mary Bates Neubauer. The artwork represents a perfect marriage of form and function, cultural heritage and environmental adaptation.

“I wanted to create an artwork that tied in stylistically with the other public artworks I’ve completed in Arizona over the past 25 years, where I’ve utilized desert flora and fauna motifs and silhouettes,” Neubauer says. “For this larger project at Ashler Hills Park, I wanted the repeating designs to be more complex, rhythmic, and abstract.”

This isn’t Neubauer’s first contribution to Scottsdale’s public art landscape. She previously created “Traceries,” a series of eight side-by-side metal recycle/waste bins for the Scottsdale Waterfront area in Old Town. Throughout her career, she has completed more than 30 public artworks across the U.S. and Italy.

Named after the Arizona cinquefoil, a resilient native plant featuring five-petaled blossoms, the installation draws inspiration from both local ecology and distant architectural traditions.

“You could call me a ‘pattern detective’!” Neubauer explains. “I developed numerous designs based on four-, five-, six- and seven-sided symmetries, ultimately gravitating toward the odd-numbered symmetries as more interesting and unusual.”

This exploration led Neubauer to the potentilla plant, which she admired for “its simplicity, stalwart hardiness and wide geographical range, even in extreme climates. There’s even a variant that thrives in the Arctic — like the desert, another extreme environment!”

The installation consists of five exterior artistic panels, each measuring 10 by 20 feet, attached to shade canopies near the lighted courts. The intricate patterns were designed using Rhino 3D, a versatile computer modeling program that allowed Neubauer to abstract, simplify and rotate the flower’s silhouettes at varying scales.

Beyond local flora, Neubauer found inspiration in architectural elements from halfway around the world.

“I was particularly inspired by the jali screens at the Red Fort in Delhi,” she says, referencing the perforated stone screens found throughout Mughal architecture. “These decorative screens use nonmechanical means to create cooling outdoor environments in a way that’s both commonsense and beautiful. My vision was to create a place where people could sit, rest and stay cool by finding the perfect balance between breeze and shade.”

This cross-cultural approach to design reflects the artist’s fascination with mathematical patterns in nature. Rather than focusing on narrative illustration, Neubauer finds joy in “responding to the mathematical structures that underlie what we see.”

Crafted from Cor-Ten steel, the panels will evolve over time as they naturally rust, developing warm, earthy tones that deepen with age. This specialized “weathering steel” creates what Neubauer describes as a “gradually thickening layer of velvety iron oxide” that protects the underlying metal.

“It’s challenging to find sculptural materials that hold up well outdoors, especially here in the desert!” she notes. “Cor-Ten was the material solution that would both complement the architectural style of the entire site and provide structural integrity for the long run.”

The fabrication process involved collaboration with Phoenix-based manufacturer Magnum Engineering, which laser-cut and sandblasted the quarter-inch steel plates. The installation required specialized equipment, including a spider crane and four crew members, to safely elevate and secure the panels to the shade structures.

For Scottsdale Public Art, “Potentilla” represents a significant expansion of the city’s renowned public art program into its northern communities.

“‘Potentilla’ exemplifies Scottsdale Public Art’s mission by seamlessly blending art and function at Ashler Hills Park,” says Kati Ballares, director of public art for Scottsdale Arts. “As the northernmost installation, it reflects Scottsdale’s commitment to expanding public art citywide.”

The project, supported by the city’s percent-for-art ordinance, highlights “Scottsdale’s more than 50-year dedication to placemaking, urban design, and fostering a nationally recognized, community-driven public art program,” Ballares adds.

As temperatures rise and spring activities draw residents to Ashler Hills Park, “Potentilla” offers not just practical shade but an opportunity to experience how art can transform everyday spaces. The installation demonstrates how functional elements in public spaces can be elevated to create meaningful cultural experiences.

For North Scottsdale residents, this artful addition to their recreational space serves as a reminder of the community’s connection to both the natural environment and the broader artistic heritage that defines Scottsdale as a whole.

scottsdalepublicart.org