Acclaimed Bay Area woodworker, Aleksandra Zee, is celebrated for her 3D “murals” comprised of sustainably-farmed or reclaimed wood meticulously arranged in mesmerizing geometric patterns. Perhaps more identifiable than her harmonic series of chevron shapes is her focused color palette featuring a range of neutral and natural hues inspired by nature. She tells Macarthur, “I am deeply inspired by monochromatic color schemes and places in nature where you can find that. The high desert is where I find my inspiration, from the stillness of sunrise to the warmth of sunset, I love how the color palette changes and stays within a muted color spectrum always.”

Aleksandra began her artistic career in 2008 as a Display Artist for Anthropologie. Each store had a well-stocked creative studio, including a woodshop in which she fell in love with the craft and knew it was her calling.

As part of her artist-in-residence tenure at MacArthur Place in January 2020, Aleksandra built two large-scale geometric wood installations that permanently adorn the ceiling of the historic Barn. She describes the creative process: “It was a collaborative effort from conception to execution. The design was aimed to be striking and to complement the space. It came out as a beautiful custom project that was built perfectly to fill the space.”

At the culmination of her residency, Aleksandra led a woodworking workshop for 20 participants who learned to make their own bespoke cheese boards with her expert guidance. Watch our mini documentary of Aleksandra Zee’s art installation at MacArthur Place below.

Learn More About The Artist

Read Our Interview With Aleksandra

Aleksandra Zee’s Art Installation at MacArthur Place

MacArthur Place: Aleksandra Zee from Conor Hagen on Vimeo.

Aleksandra’s Work at MacArthur Place