Metal-man Robert Schooley's creatively forged gate for the U.C.I. Desert Research Center is approaching completion. Many months ago Schooley was offered a rough 2D drawing for the gate but he has taken the idea to another level. To create the mountains on the gate, he dug a hole, stuck granite boulders in it and heated the metal so he could pound it over real boulders. "Then you've got mountains," he said. Other ingenious methods were employed for a palm tree and an ocotillo. The 24 ft. gates are made with structural steel framing technology with plasma cut sections that are pulled out and hand forged so images are set out for reveal with gaps showing the light behind. Many of the animals are hammered bronze. When asked how many hours he's put into the project so far he just said, "You can't ask an artist that. They never know." The gate should be ready for installation in a couple of weeks.