The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA) continues to collaborate with the city of San Luis Obispo’s Public Art Program to beautify the city. The newest piece, Sculpture Jam by the late sculptor Bruce Johnson, will be installed in the greenspace by the museum (1010 Broad St.) on Friday, Jan. 30, at noon, and the public is invited to come to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Later that day, Johnson’s daughters, Kendra Katz and Tori Johnson, will lead a discussion of their father’s work in the museum (5:30 p.m.; all ages; free but register to attend at eventbrite.com).
He was known to work with massive chunks of salvaged redwood that he embellished with pieces of copper.
“Every copper or wood surface has a unique and deliberate texture,” organizers announced.
Johnson died in a studio accident in March 2023, at the age of 75. On his website, he’s quoted as saying, “I am an artist fully engaged in abstract contemporary sculpture. I am a maker of objects with a craftsman’s touch. I am a tool in the process. I am moved by mass and scale. I love the energy and vitality of these big chunks of salvaged redwood and work to honor their spirit. These sculptures are the echo of a vanishing ecosystem. May they also be seen as small acts of preservation.” ∆
This article appears in Jan 22-29, 2026.