Students partner with glass contractor to create sculpture for Covenant Fine Arts Center

Four Calvin students have put their creative touch on the college's front
entrance.

Hannah Abma, Jeremia Handoko, Brianna Perez and Yohan Na designed a glass
sculpture that now hangs in the east lobby of the recently remodeled Covenant
Fine Arts Center (CFAC), one of the most visible spots to visitors entering
campus.

The piece is composed of five large circular panes of glass, in graduated
sizes, held in metal bands that are suspended from the ceiling. The panes
represent the multiple elements of the fine arts, while the varying colors and
textures reference the continuity of covenant and community.

The project grew out of a partnership between Calvin College and Vos Glass, a
leading Grand Rapids-based glass contractor, which has been doing
construction-related glass work at Calvin for nearly three decades.

"We have installed glass in many of Calvin's buildings," said Linda
Vos-Graham, president of Vos Glass. "This project gave us the opportunity to
work with students and support Calvin in a truly creative project."

Vos-Graham challenged the college's architecture and studio art students to
produce concepts for the sculpture. In April 2010, the students were asked to
consider the themes of covenant and community, and to take into consideration
the role of the space in illuminating the fine arts.

Director of physical plant Phil Beezhold gave the students a tour of the
facility when it was under renovation and explained how the space would be
used. Then, representatives from Vos Glass met with the group to discuss the
creative possibilities offered by glass. The students divided into groups, put
together sketches and submitted them to a committee. Abma, Handoko, Perez and
Na's design was selected, and was produced, with minor modifications, by Vos
Glass with assistance from Echo Etching and Accuform Industries.

Perez, one of the student designers, said that this project goes well beyond
just leaving her mark on Calvin:

"The idea that we, as students, were invited to work alongside each other,
school officials and professional designers in order to come up with something
that Calvin, as an institution, was willing to stand behind says much more,"
said Perez.

"It’s a beautiful design that combines art and architectural features," said
Vos-Graham. "It's also a great example of what can be achieved in a
non-traditional working relationship."

The community is invited to view the sculpture and recognize the participating
students and the collaborating companies from 3-5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4 in
the Covenant Fine Arts Center's east lobby. The event will include a short
program followed by refreshments.

For more info on the project, contact Joel Zwart, Calvin's director of
exhibitions, at 616-526-6271 or at jhz2@calvin.edu

For photos related to the project, contact Matt Kucinski at 616-526-8935 or at
msk23@calvin.edu.

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Received on Tue Apr 26 08:47:06 2011