Core values of a new public art installation in Eau Claire include collaboration, sustainable and locally sourced materials, fine craftsmanship, a fun yet challenging design, problem solving, and – perhaps most importantly of all – teamwork. 

And that’s precisely what Tim Brudnicki and Joe Maurer of Timber Space Eau Claire brought to their “Sanctuary” pod public art piece, which was installed this week on the UW-Eau Claire campus. It is located in front of the new Flesch Family Welcome Center at 127 Roosevelt Ave. 

Also dubbed the “Street Beetle” or “Blugold Beetle,” this public art endeavor took a team of local artists, creatives, and handymen to pull off, including Brudnicki and Maurer, who work together under the name Timber Space Eau Claire, which repurposes wood from around the Chippewa Valley to create custom furnishings for area businesses.