In preparation for her Hamiltonian Gallery exhibition opening on Saturday, Jessica van Brakle climbed a 13-story high tower crane and hugged its jib. The bonds of affection between woman and steel are evident in her paintings and drawings, which pair natural landscapes with construction cranes that roam the countryside like Brontosaurus. (Make sure to read a Kriston Capps piece about Jessica’s work appearing at Hamiltonian.)

I wonder if she’s jealous of this crane’s operator, 53-year-old Scotty Hankins, who’s worked atop these for nearly two decades. (The Baltimore Sun did a story on him in 1997 during construction of the Ravens Stadium.) What I envy is their fearlessness, as neither Jessica nor the crane commander seemed fazed by the fact we’re dangling 280 feet above wet concrete in a gigantic steel erector set that’s swaying in the wind. Scotty tells me this is the safest place to be in a lightening storm, as the structure is grounded into the Earth below, yet it’s a bright sunny day and everyone can clearly see my knees shaking.  Regardless, even after I kissed the ground (well, plywood on the second floor) my nerves calmed and I couldn’t wait to go up again. It’s a thrilling place to work and I’m just beginning to understand this artist’s obsession with construction cranes.

At one of her previous art exhibitions, Jessica drew construction cranes with edible ink on frosted cookies.

The climb up a tower crane is not for anyone with a fear of heights.  ”Don’t look down” has real meaning up here.

Jessica works with gallery-assigned mentor Jason Horowitz, a fine art photographer who’s been appointed by Hamiltonian as her artistic coach.  It’s a unique pairing but also convenient for them both, as her studio at the Arlington Arts Center is around the corner from Jason’s house.

Jessica’s grandfather owned a construction company and she has old black-and-white photographs of cranes lying amidst piles of color pictures she’s taken at various sites around the metro DC area.  (Her friends also send her photos of cranes.)  Inside her studio are plastic crane models on the windowsill, construction crane magazines and cranes drawn onto miniature garbage trucks.

Foreman Cotton Smith (above), whose 34 years in construction includes building the Mormon Temple in Kensington, assisted us on the Miller & Long site.  Many thanks to him and Scotty (at work in the cab below), who were professional in every way and made sure our journey up the tower crane was a safe one.

Photos: Joshua Yospyn/Worn Magazine (please ask permission before using our images)

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