Yvonne Domenge could not be happier that one of her “daughters” has found permanent residence in The Woodlands.

“Wind Waves,” or “Olas de Viento,” is a carbon steel sculpture weighing nearly six tons created by Domenge. The work is now on display near One Lake’s Edge in Hughes Landing. It is her first piece on display in The Woodlands, but her work can be seen in exhibits across the world.

“[My pieces] are like my daughters, and everyone is surprised by that,” she said. “They are all [females], of course.”

“Wind Waves” found its Greater Houston area home after a temporary installation in Hermann Park in Houston as a part of its 100th birthday celebration, “Art in the Park,” Domenge said. During its yearlong stay at the park, the piece caught the eye of Peter Doyle, The Howard Hughes Corporation vice president, who arranged a meeting with Domenge to show her around Hughes Landing before securing the site as the new home of “Wind Waves.” It was installed this summer.

Domenge has more than 40 sculptures across the country in museums and on public display, such as these in Chicago at Millennium Park.[/caption]

Domenge said The Woodlands is the perfect environment for “Wind Waves” because her original design was meant to complement its environment.

“It was made for Canada in Vancouver, and so she was closer to the water all of the time,” Domenge said. “It’s perfect for The Woodlands because it was created in relation to the wind and water, and The Woodlands takes care of the environment beautifully. They were made for each other. She was made with that purpose—to admire the wind and water together.”

Domenge’s preferred artistic medium is sculpting, and it is an art she has practiced for 48 years, she said. With four young children, she also mastered the art of multitasking as she moved forward with sculpting as a career as well as teaching classes, designing monuments and other pieces while balancing her responsibility as a mother.

Domenge’s love for art is homegrown as she was heavily influenced by her family at a young age: she began painting at the age of 6.

“My uncle and aunt were sculpturers and had a big studio in the garden in my house,” she said. “Since I was very young I saw them working, and I think that was a statement in my life. I never liked painting because I thought painting was flat. I wanted [a] third dimension.”

Her sculptures are each built for a specific location with the environment in mind, Domenge said.

Her work has garnered worldwide attention and can be found in renowned museums, such as the Contemporary Art Museum of Monterrey and The Louvre Museum in Paris. She was the first female Mexican artist with work on display in Chicago’s Millennium Park; her pieces were installed there for three years. Domenge leads workshops across Mexico and Central America.

Hughes Landing Boulevard at Lake Woodlands Drive, www.thewoodlands.com