Camouflage House

Tom Fruin: Camouflage House, 2020

Camouflage House, a temporary public sculpture created by artist Tom Fruin, offered a communal opportunity for reflection and meditation. The project was installed and on view from 2020 to 2021 in three different sites across Santa Barbara County: Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, Arroyo Burro Beach County Park, and Elings Park.

Forged with a kaleidoscopic pattern of welded steel, salvaged signage, and reclaimed acrylic scraps, the sculpture speaks to the unique role of artwork and artists in visioning and regeneration. Kim Yasuda, professor of Public Practice in UCSB’s art department, noted: “I am grateful for Fruin’s return after many years to offer his beautiful work as we tentatively reinhabit our public spaces. His piece becomes both beacon and refuge at this critical moment, as we as a community look ahead to an uncertain future. His work shows us a way forward through art.”

Fruin, a UCSB alumnus, has become an international icon of joyous public art. Learn more here. Read the UC-Santa Barbara Coastlines magazine feature on Tom Fruin. This project was supported by the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission in partnership with the County Community Services Department’s Office of Arts and Culture and Parks divisions.