Client: Assumption High School

Overview

A young girl sees her future as a powerful woman, a universe of possibilities inside her. Which path to take? At graduation she will leave the constraints of high school for the world beyond. The white bird flies out the window.
The artwork also depicts the Assumption of Mary, rising into the cosmos.
24′ x 13′. Blown glass and fired vitreous enamels in several layers, laminated to clear safety glass.

Goals

The artwork had several complex goals. First priority was to appeal to the students using bold color and movement. I wanted to tell a story of female empowerment. Architecturally, the window prominently announces the chapel on the second floor, as one enters the school. Thematically, it was to narrate the journey an incoming freshman is about the take, under the guidance of a Catholic education, and an optimistic future. I also wanted to tell the story of the school's namesake, the Assumption of Mary into Heaven.

Process

This project was made during Covid lockdown. I was very fortunate to have already established a close working relationship with my team at Derix Glasstudios, who translated my painting with sensitivity and emotion, as always. The etching of the blown flashed glass with hydroflouric acid, and application of fired vitreous enamels in several layers is a feat of superb craft.

Additional Information

There was a wonderful collaboration with the architect to arrive at an optimal installation with minimal framing that could meet the budget. I wanted to have the blown glass side facing the lobby, which is not possible to attach suction cups to, so we used a spyder crane to hoist the panels from the second floor chapel.