Sunday, April 3, 2011
Green Monochrome
The Green Monochrome for 3rd Federal Bank is a triptych of American flags. It represents a three-act story of our nation. The first act is Besty Ross with 15 stars. The second act is the wild-west/or the frontier, and has 28 stars for when Texas was added. The third act is our current flag, which was designed by high school student, Robert Haft, for a school project. He got a B- until Congress accepted his design. Then his teacher changed his grade to an A.
The piece was framed with an old green picket fence. The panels are connected by hinges so the green monochrome can fold up into a chest or “vault,” which can be carried around like a suitcase. Inside the frames are pieces of broken glass from various donations and sources, including the Wissahickon river and the “Glassphemy” installation at the Crane Arts Building. The pieces were tumbled with water and sand to re-create the effect of sea-glass, referring to the early settlers sailing over to America, and also to the sea and buried treasures. The glass pieces are like green coins. Some have also been cut to have five points for the five-pointed star Betsy Ross designed.
The Monochromes Project has rules. Everything of a designated color has to be found or second-hand. The exception to the rule is the adhesive (like glue or nails—anything to piece it together can be neutral in color). That said, we used copper wire, which can be oxidized to turn green. Making a patina formula, we turned some of the copper wire green, mostly in the third panel, similar to how the Statue of Liberty started out copper in color and then over time became its present oxidized color. The first and second panels have thirteen wires for the thirteen stripes of the flag and the original colonies. The second panel’s horizontal stripes—tied together with barbed-wire knots—signify a fence and also function as an abacus with glass pieces that slide across for counting and calculating.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Tumbler
Glass
Green Monochrome Story
Monday, August 23, 2010
Orange Unveiling
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Moss
I spoke with botanist Russell Juelg from the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. I said I was interested in making this piece alive but that I had concerns about maintenance. I didn't want it to die. I didn't want the bank to have to take care of this thing all the time. I just wanted it to be like having a plant, or even easier than that.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Green Monochrome
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Sewing Circle
Monday, May 17, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Coloring Party
119 W. Montgomery Ave.
Bring a friend and bring orange--sturdy and strong materials, not just candy wrappers. Metal. Wood. Hard plastic. Things that will last. I like the monochromes to be durable and high quality, something you could throw out the window and it would stay together; the scratches and dents would add to it, and the pieces that don't survive the fall don't get reapplied.