Sculpture of oxidized steel and fused glass disks by community workshop attendees.
Location: Mercy Housing Patio
Linear Feet: 18’ Height: 10’ Depth: 6”
Designed for Mercy Housing by Deanna & Genevieve Marsh, 2021.
Reed People brings a bit of the American River to the patio edge. Upon closer look the three groups of reeds contain abstract human figures of all sizes, arms raised in joy, with fused glass faces full of color. The American River Canyon in so many ways is the symbolic heart of our community today, our mecca of tourism, athleticism, and cooldowns on hot summer days. Taking visitors down to the river is a way many locals extend welcome and share a piece of their hearts. Grasses, herbs, and rushes provided food and material for clothing and baskets in times past.
We create community participation artwork that shapes its impression through direct participation, creating unique, playful, and personal experiences. Residents will make the fused glass disks during the community workshop. Glass is the perfect medium to bring people together to make extraordinary art objects because it’s an uncommon opportunity with the perfect metaphorical foil of getting to know your neighbors. So many things are visible through glass; glass is translucent, transparent, and reflective– also the properties of good conversation! For the workshop, participants will be creating glass collage, so it is accessible for all ages. Base disks of color will be pre-cut. Participants can collect the confetti of glass colors and shapes from a large table of material, then sit down to work out their own composition–layering colors and shapes. Using a light application of white glue, they tack down the collage composition for kiln firing. Some participants will be done in ten minutes, while others may take much longer to arrange their glass array.
The three steel Reed People sculptural groupings can easily be rearranged to accommodate any changes in wall design shape.
Designed in collaboration with Landscape Sculptor, Deanna Marsh.