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Pillars of Light

 

In August, 2012, Phipps Conservatory had a "call for glass artists" where you could submit your biggest idea.  My muse, Thom Britt, had been virtually manipulating images of my mosaic windows to show me what could happen if they were built into a structure with four sides and lit from within. So I submitted,for my entry,

"Create 18 spinning, lit, glass pillars each expressing a local Nonprofit."  A week later, the idea was accepted.  First issue, We did not know how to make them, light them, spin them  or fund them. So, we began by not knowing, and together, learned.

 

100 letters were sent out to Pittsburgh Nonprofits.  13 said yes.  The fall was spent researching and wondering, asking, and coming up against limitations. During this time, the structures were being built by an aquarium builder, named David Bombara.  I visited the different nonprofits, listened  looked around, researched and responded by creating one pillar at a time.  

 

The actual mosaic work took 14 weeks. straight. Hours were spent with Thom researching and encouraging and suggesting, and me distilling it all into color and light.  

 

 These are the 13 Nonprofits

 

 

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