My art is now in the State of Colorado’s Collection

These six feet high feathers are covered in stained glass, glass-tile and tumbled landscape glass to create a wonderful array of color, shape and form. In addition they are backlit with LED lights that can change color via an app on a cellphone. This installation is called ‘Mad Jack Plumage’ in honor of Western Colorado University’s mascot Mad Jack. The mascot features a feather coming out of his cap.

WHERE CAN YOU SEE MY INSTALLATION: THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND MOUNTAIN SEARCH AND RESCUE GARAGE ON THE CAMPUS OF WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY IN GUNNISON, COLORADO.
The main function of this facility is to provide service and repairs for various vehicles and equipment used by the campus community. In addition, WCU’s fleet maintenance staff performs service and repairs for other state agencies’ vehicles under the supervision of Colorado State Management, as well as a fleet of passenger vans which are available for use by the University’s Academic and Athletic departments.

This work is in the reception area at the front of the building. Users of the garage will include fleet staff, WCU staff, students, and other employees from state agencies.

THE PROCESS, STEP BY STEP: PRESENTATION DRAWINGS & NARRATIVE

This is the drawing that was approved for the project. Mad Jack is Western’s Mascot and he has a feather coming out of his cap so I used this as a jumping off point to create this larger than life lighted feather installation.

A two minute video about my process in creating Mad Jack Plumage.

I made paper templates of the feathers to provide my welder, Matt Bernhardt to cut and form the 3D shapes. I’m here at his shop to draw on refinements for the LED lights to shine through the cutouts and also to silhouette the five feathers in different colors.

Sometimes bending the metal can be accomplished by standing on the metal.

This is the tip of feather number one. The beginning is always fun because I’m working out shapes, size and color of the stained glass.

This is feather number one is has the LED lighting installed on the back. This feather ran through extensive testing, on, off for several months. You can also see the hanging cleats that are used to position the work safely on the wall.

There are small amounts of stained glass in a wide array of ‘rainbow colors’ sprinkled throughout the mosaic, however the predominate colors are the school colors: red, black and silver as shown in the mirrored tile.