Eggs

Description

Diagonally across from the “Rocks” installation is a narrow, medium grey wall with an even wash of soft natural light flowing over it from a neighboring window. The quality of the light combined with the paint color creates a quiet and inviting tone for the space. I was drawn to this feeling and was compelled to create a glass sculpture that spoke to, and was activated by, the serene natural lighting. Additionally, the creative freedom that my clients gave me inspired me to think about the themes of emergence, growth, and new life in this work.

Challenge

Similar to the Rocks, the Eggs required some sophisticated engineering to get the pieces mounted and flush to the wall. We decided to use the same approach as we did with the Rocks. Hilary hand sculpted the lip of the mounting brackets to perfectly match the contour of the interior curve of the Eggs. Given that the Eggs were smooth, even forms, matching was a bit easier this time around. 

Sandblasting

In contrast to the Rocks where material translation and abstraction were central to the design, I wanted the Eggs to literally represent the form and surface of actual eggs. Using sandblasting, I achieved the slightly bumpy satin surface found on many eggs. The tactile experience of this finish speaks to the soft delicate nature of an egg. 

Limited Illumination

Handling and observing the sandblasted eggs in the space they would be installed in, revealed a lot about the objects and their relationship to the natural light in the space. I spent time watching the soft light from the window graze the rounded forms and cast delicate shadows on the wall. The subtle, ethereal quality of this relationship was compelling, and I did not want to disrupt it with a man-made light. I chose only to illuminate the largest egg, the one I thought of as the “Mother Egg.” Despite my hesitation to illuminate any of them, this light cast an egg-shaped glow that felt like an appropriate addition to the collection of shadows.