A sculpture 2.3 billion years in the making

 
At first glance, it looks like a striking steel sculpture. At its center, however, sits something far older than the artwork itself.

A 2.3-billion-year-old fossil stromatolite, one of Earth’s earliest life forms and among the organisms responsible for producing the oxygen that made life possible.

The newest addition to Delta College’s Sculpture Walk tells a story that spans billions of years while celebrating the power of collaboration and lifelong learning.

The sculpture began with an idea from Midland scientist and artist Robert Iwamasa, who wanted to combine his scientific background with his passion for art to help people discover the significance of stromatolites, fossils many have never heard of despite their role in Earth’s history. 

“I wanted to put it in places where people would learn what a stromatolite is and why it’s important,” Iwamasa said. “What better place would there be than a college?” 

To bring the vision to life, Iwamasa partnered with Michigan sculptor Mark Haines, whose forged steel design frames the ancient Kona Dolomite fossil from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The sweeping steel arcs reflect the immense heat and pressure that shaped both the metal and the rock over time, while placing the fossil itself at the center of the story.

For Iwamasa, Delta felt like a natural home for the sculpture.

His connection to the College spans decades. After retiring from Dow, he returned to Delta to study photography, digital art and painting while his wife, Ruby, served for years as a volunteer and later station manager at Delta Public Media. Those experiences, combined with longtime friendships across campus, inspired him to share the sculpture so students, employees and visitors could learn from it every day. 

“I could have sold these to wealthy people,” he said. “Instead, I wanted the general public to see them, have access to them.” 

Today, the sculpture joins more than two dozen works across campus, inviting visitors to pause, not only to admire the artwork, but to reflect on the remarkable history contained within a single piece of stone.

Meet the artists