CJAY ROUGHGARDEN
4925 Seaport Ave, Richmond, CA
Summary
Public artist, designer, and master fabricator specializing in large-scale, permanent outdoor sculptures, and immersive public artworks. Founder of Element 26, with over a decade of experience delivering structurally engineered, highly durable, and site-responsive installations for parks, museums, and civic spaces. Brings a rare combination of conceptual design leadership, hands-on fabrication expertise, and full-cycle project delivery, from design development, engineering coordination, fabrication, installation, and long-term maintenance planning.
Overview
2026
2026
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder / Lead Artist & Fabricator
Element 26
Richmond, CA
2022 - Current
- Lead designer and fabricator for large-scale, permanent public artworks, and architectural sculpture installations across California and beyond.
- Manage the full project lifecycle, including concept development, engineering coordination, budgeting, fabrication, logistics, and installation.
- Deliver structurally sound, highly durable artworks designed for outdoor public environments, heavy use, and long-term maintenance.
- Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, including artists, engineers, contractors, and city stakeholders.
- Successfully execute complex, high-visibility projects involving steel structures, integrated lighting, and large-format fabrication.
Senior Fabricator
Engineered Artworks
Oakland, CA
2016 - 2023
- Served as the lead fabricator on multiple large-scale public artworks and monumental sculptures installed in civic spaces and major cultural sites.
- Fabricated and assembled complex steel structures for permanent outdoor installations, including kinetic and illuminated sculptures exceeding 50 feet in scale.
- Collaborated with artists, engineers, and project managers to meet structural, safety, and durability requirements.
- Worked on nationally recognized projects, including Elektra, Stella, and other museum- and city-commissioned works.
- Maintained high standards of craftsmanship, safety, and schedule performance across multiple concurrent projects.
Metal Fabricator
FiveTonCrane / Independent Projects
, USA
2015 - 2019
- Worked on large-scale, immersive public artworks exhibited at major museums and public institutions, including the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery.
- Participated in the fabrication of monumental, transportable, and permanent installations involving steel, wood, and mixed materials.
- Supported multi-year touring exhibitions and complex site installations across the U.S.
- Collaborated within large, multidisciplinary teams on high-profile, high-risk, high-visibility projects.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, Cum Laude
Gettysburg College
Professional Training
Skills
- Large-scale steel fabrication (MIG/TIG)
- Structural sculpture construction
- Public art engineering coordination
- Outdoor and weather-resistant materials systems
- Led and integrated lighting systems
- Shop drawing and fabrication planning
- Installation logistics and site coordination
- Metal forming, shaping, and finishing
- Project leadership and team coordination
- Cross-disciplinary collaboration
- Budget and timeline management
- Client and stakeholder communication
- Problem solving under constraints
- Community and site-responsive design thinking
- Creative direction
- Reliability and execution under deadlines
Selected Public Arts and Large-scale Works
Lead Artist/ Designer
- Naga — Golden Gate Park, 2025 25 feet tall, 100 feet long illuminated steel sea serpent sculpture; lead designer and lead fabricator
- Naga and the Captainess — 2024 monumental sculptural installation featuring a sea serpent and sinking ship
- Willits Pinwheels — Willits, CA, 2022 three large-scale stainless steel and powder-coated steel sculptures with integrated lighting
- Doves for Yonim — 2022 seven powder-coated steel bird sculptures
- Mind — Black Rock City and Reno, NV, 2019 interactive heart sculpture, immersive installation in copper, brass, and steel
PUBLIC ART FABRICATION & LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
- Stella, Omaha, NE, 2023, Lead Fabricator
- Infiniswing, Richmond, CA, 2023, Lead Fabricator
- Elektra — Black Rock City, 53’ mobile sculpture with 210,000 LEDs, 2019–2020
- Capitol Theater — Smithsonian Renwick Gallery, 2018–2019
- Raygun Gothic Rocketship — 40' tall public sculpture, 2009, and 2017
- Storied Haven — 30’ tall immersive installation, 2015
Timeline
Founder / Lead Artist & Fabricator
Element 26
2022 - Current
Senior Fabricator
Engineered Artworks
2016 - 2023
Metal Fabricator
FiveTonCrane / Independent Projects
2015 - 2019
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, Cum Laude
Gettysburg College
Professional Training