College of the Redwoods is proud to announce the restoration and reinstallation of Stand Our Ground Next Time, the iconic driftwood and found-object sculpture by renowned Karuk artist Brian D. Tripp (BDT), made possible through the support of a President’s Academic Innovation Grant.
Originally installed in the early 1990s, Tripp’s powerful sculpture stood as a cultural and artistic beacon behind the former Creative Arts building. With the recent move to the new Creative Arts Complex, an opportunity arose to honor BDT’s legacy through a collaborative, cross-generational restoration effort.
The grant proposal was authored by CR Art Department faculty member Shannon Sullivan, in consultation with Tripp’s family—artist Alme Allen and cultural leader Pimm Tripp-Allen. The project also involved collaboration with CR faculty emeritus Robert Benson and instructors Ben Funke (Art), Derek Glavich (Construction Technology), and Kyle Shamp (Welding).
The reinstallation process included in-class lectures by Alme and Pimm, who offered students personal and cultural insights into Tripp’s life and artistic vision. Students enrolled in Funke’s Three-Dimensional Design and Sculpture courses participated in hands-on restoration sessions, working directly alongside Tripp’s family to carefully restore the sculpture’s wooden elements.
The restored sculpture was unveiled at a public reception on May 1, 2025, in the Creative Arts Complex Promenade. The event celebrated BDT’s enduring impact. The reception was generously supported by the Native Cultures Fund.
“This project is more than a restoration—it’s a posthumous collaboration with artists who were both family and longtime creative companions of Tripp,” said Shannon Sullivan. “It’s a living act of cultural continuity that unites education, community, and heritage in a way that makes art feel profoundly alive.”
The sculpture’s new home—within the rock garden of the Creative Arts Complex—ensures Stand Our Ground Next Time remains a visible and accessible centerpiece for generations of students, faculty, and community members.
This initiative reflects College of the Redwoods’ ongoing commitment to experiential learning, offering students the chance to engage in meaningful, culturally grounded work while developing skills in collaboration, preservation, and public art.