Last week Monty Siekerman posted this photo on The Icon. He asked if anyone could identify the art piece. Click here for that background story.
The word got around quickly and over the weekend The Icon received the following story from the artist - former resident, Toby Baker:
By Toby Baker
During my husband’s tenure at ONU as President, I was invited by Dr. Vicki Motz, a visiting assistant professor in Biological Sciences, to create environmental sculptures for two medicinal herb gardens she and her classes constructed on campus.
The first was located in a sunny area next to the Raabe College of Pharmacy building and was constructed in 2009. The second was located in the corner of the woods you've described and was completed April 27, 2010.
For this garden I actually created three separate sculptures, but I believe only the two walnut circles, “Four Directions,” still remain. They were created over several weeks with the help and guidance of Bill Kanzig, who was in charge of the shop in the College of Engineering prior to his retirement. With his assistance, strength and tall ladder we were able to use existing broken trees as sturdy pedestals.
The walnut circles, one large and one small, each encased four bottles that I slumped in my glass kiln. The smaller one used four Perrier bottles and the larger circle used four champagne bottles.
To my dismay, the sculptures vanished entirely within a couple of weeks after they were installed as the woods are deep and dark. My favorite viewing times are fall, early spring and especially winter. The light shining through the glass on a bright winter day reminded me of stained glass windows in a chapel and I often included a stop there during my daily walks.
To see photographs and read more about my ONU environmental sculptures I invite you to please go to www.TobyBakerArt.com and click on “environmental sculptures.”
Thanks so much for your interest in this little spot on campus.
