Today I just completed a custom installation for a client. We have been working on this project for most of the summer in between our summer shows. My client has been wonderful to work with. She is an informed and dedicated home gardener with an electic sense of style. And she loves glass – the perfect combination!
My client’s garden area has a medium sized pond featuring a lovely waterfall front and center. She has several healthy and friendly koi who like to beg for food if you get close to the water’s edge.
At our first meeting my client did not have any firm ideas on what kind of glass sculpture she would like in her garden but thought she would like something in or around the pond area. After visiting and spending some time with her I realized that putting anything in the pond would require lots of maintenance and would obstruct the view of the lovely waterfall. So I proposed that we use the tree behind the pond as a “canvas” for some great glass pieces. She loved the idea and after discussing colors and making several sketches we had a plan!
For several years I have collaborated with a metal fabricator on custom projects that require metal structures. Unfortunately my metal friend relocated out of the area earlier this year so I needed to find a new collaborator. I was lucky to find Trent Warren of Warren Welding ( http://warrenwelding.vpweb.com/default.html ) who agreed to help out.
I made the glass pieces and worked with Trent to customize the metal frame that would hold the glass in place. We installed the glass a couple of weeks ago in the garden.
Each individual glass piece consisted of a main body color with an accent stripe that helped accentuate the movement in the glass. The heights of the pieces ranged from 14″ to almost 30″ tall. The metal stand was constructed and painted to match and disappear into the tree bark. Behind the tree the stand is mounted in over 400 pounds of concrete pad poured on site. The glass itself weighs over 200 pounds so we needed to have alot of counterweight on the back side of the tree.
I also installed lighting to accentuate the sculpture at night and while my client loved the colors at night she wasn’t as happy with the bright colors in the daytime. My client was upset with herself because she chose the original colors. Before starting the project I made three samples of the colors and she had them in her garden while I completed the project. The samples in her garden were positioned amongst foliage and flowers and she loved them. Unfortunately, when the pieces were installed against the tree bark she wasn’t happy with the vivid contrast against the bark.
So we decided to redo the sculptural pieces with more muted jewel tones in transparent glass instead of opaque. The colors are rich ruby red, emerald green and gold with a ruby accent stripe. She is much happier with this installation in both the daytime and a night.
Second installation
Many lessons were learned on this project for both of us but I’m glad that the main objective of having a delighted client was achieved.
So which color combinations are your favorites?
