Flower Power Steel Stencil

Medium: Spray-painted acrylic on reclaimed steel
Dimensions: 4’ x 4’

Once a tool of creation, now an artwork in its own right.

This steel sheet was originally used by a local artisan in Cotati, CA, who would purchase 4’ x 4’ panels and stamp out flowers, petals, and leaves for her vibrant yard art bouquets. Each piece was lovingly painted, molded, and sold to bring color and joy to gardens across Sonoma County. The leftover negative space—the "scrap"—was sold to a steel buyer in Petaluma.

That’s where this piece was found: discarded, forgotten, yet striking in its presence.

You can still see the legacy of these floral sculptures along Adobe Road and Petaluma Hill Road, heading toward Rohnert Park.

The surface patina and playful color palette feel like they were lifted straight from a 1950s amusement park—Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk style—sun-worn, joyful, and nostalgic.

Now preserved and appreciated not as a tool or remnant, but as a standalone piece of found art, the Flower Power Steel Stamp invites you to see the beauty in what’s left behind.