This Saturday evening, Apr. 17, 2010, the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, will celebrate the installation of a chandelier designed by Dale Chihuly, purchased by The Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art, in the museum’s David Wallace Robinson, Jr. Atrium.
The installation marks the first of its kind in the state and measures 14′ tall, 5′ wide and 11′ deep. The design was chosen to enhance the asymmetrical design of the museum’s atrium space and a “Carolina Sunset” color-scheme will incorporate Columbia’s “Famously Hot” shades of golds, oranges and reds. The public celebration of the installation will be held in conjunction with this year’s Museum gala, Red Hot…Cool! 60 Years of Color that evening.
The completion of this installation also marks the success of a public-fundraising campaign by which the Contemporaries raised over $360,000 through private donations and fundraising events – led entirely by the young professional affiliate group of the museum with the generous support and guidance of a team of community mentors, the Board of the Museum of Art and the staff of the museum. The fundraising total covers the cost of the acquisition, long-term maintenance of the piece, educational support, lighting and a documentary video.
But…
If you happen to be going to that gala that evening or hanging around Boyd Plaza in front of the Columbia Museum of Art on Saturday – you can see another installation of glass sculpture, by One Eared Cow Glass, Tommy Lockart and Mark Woodham, with the assistance of Ryan Crabtree. It might be gone by Sunday afternoon, so don’t wait.
They are unveiling their own sculpture in the courtyard outside of the museum consisting of 3 totems having aprox. 100 individually blown glass faces and 21 large plates assembled on copper piping at the top. The whole sculpture loosely resembles trees…ie. palmetto trees. The height of the totems with the plates on top are about 15′ tall.
They are working with Steven Ford from Steven Ford Interiors, and Woodley’s Garden Center (whom are providing plants, etc. to surround the sculptures). Ford asked the guys at One Eared Cow Glass to make something that would “Wow the crowd” as they arrive at the museum.
We hope to have some photos of the final installation, but for now we have a few images of part of the work.
And, I’m sure anyone seeing this installation will be just as wowed by this art work as they will by anything they see inside the Museum, and it came from Columbia. Or maybe I should say, most folks seeing this installation will be wowed – until they find out it was made by someone from Columbia. As we all know – the best things come from – somewhere else. I know better and so do a lot of folks, but most don’t.
Look, I think it’s great that the Contemporaries group was able to raise $360,000 to purchase the Chihuly piece for the Museum. It will be a great addition to the Museum’s collection and really impress visitors as they enter the Museum.
I’m not comparing Dale Chihuly’s work to that of One Eared Cow Glass.
In an effort of full disclosure, I don’t own any works by Dale Chihuly – no surprise there, and I own quite a few works by One Eared Cow Glass. Linda and I love their work.
All I’m saying is – don’t overlook the talents of artists in your own community. Most are considered creative giants – somewhere else. And, if you gave artists like Tommy Lockart and Mark Woodham $360,000 to create a work of art – you might be surprised at what you would get. You might not get world-wide name recognition, but I bet it would be one impressive work of glass.
I’m offering this blog entry as a reminder of the accomplishment of The Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art and to advise people to smell the roses along the way as they enter the Columbia Museum of Art Saturday evening.
And, by the way, if you don’t have $360,000 in your pocket to purchase your own Dale Chihuly – the work by One Eared Cow Glass is for sale and I bet it will cost a whole lot less.
For further info about the Museum, the Gala, or The Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art, call 803/799-2810 or visit (www.columbiamuseum.org). For information about One Eared Cow Glass, call 803/254-2444 or visit (www.oneearedcow.com).
Share this article
Tags: Add new tag, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia SC, Dale Chihuly, Mark Woodham, One Eared Cow Glass, The Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art, Tommy Lockart