collins architectural glass; aerial glass sculpture; des moines, iowa; photo courtesy: collins architectural glass
As Seneca once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” For Judy and Dale Collins, the husband-and-wife team behind Collins Architectural Glass in Denver, CO, this rings true. They recently completed a dazzling aerial glass installation for a large company building in Des Moines, Iowa, melding heretofore unseen glass, printing, and architectural techniques with the nearly archaic art of film photography.
collins architectural glass; aerial glass sculpture; des moines, iowa; photo courtesy: collins architectural glass
Unlikely cogs continued to click into place over the course of their process, one which started, Judy Collins said in a phone interview with the Hot Sheet, with an unsolicited proposition from an acquaintance. She was urged to look into a company developing a process she might use for her large scale custom designed architectural glass art. The Collins’ website details a variety of techniques in which they specialise including brilliant casting, layered casting and glass applique, but Collins insists that each project requires a re-working of, or in this case, an entirely new foray into, working with glass and architecture. “I put it off for a month or so,” she admits, “but I kept it in mind.” Eventually, with a commission from the Des Moines headquarters of an international life insurance company, the perfect opportunity was at hand. A year long project from conception to completion, Collins wanted to start first with subtle photographic images, focusing on their colour palette rather than the subject. The giant glass images capture natural light, spewing the watercolour hues around the floor of the the common room for which it was designed – an area that houses a variety of activities each day. The building’s 1500 employees might be dazzled at first, then intrigued. Growing accustomed to the abstraction of familiar shapes and colors, they can begin to notice life cropping up where they least expect it – the daily grind of the board room or the cafeteria.
The process, invented in Holland, entails transferring high resolution images onto transparent film via dye sublimation. These are then laminated between two sheets of glass. Fade-resistant Japanese film, developed in Canada, was utilized in the sublimation process to avoid the inevitable deterioration of the red dyes when exposed to long stretches of direct sunlight. So far, Collins contends, the technique has been used successfully by advertisers in window displays and accents, but their company is the first to send it up in the air.
collins architectural glass; aerial glass sculpture; des moines, iowa; photo courtesy: collins architectural glass
Collins did not have to look far for an able photographer. Her daughter, Heather Roe, is a working professional based in Los Angeles who played a crucial collaborative role in achieving the vision of the project. All 800 images were captured with Roe’s Hasselblad to circumvent the unsightly pixelation caused by blowing up digital images to such a size. (Some glass panels are as tall as 96 inches.) For inspiration, the family team of artists looked to natural landscapes and images of “celebration.” Petals and pebbles were shot close up, then blown up to create ethereal swaths of color. The end result is lively and vibrant while managing to eschew literal depictions of celebrations.
“We had Christmas lights photographed with a macro lens so that it became almost a blur of color, but as you look at it you begin to think, ‘That sure looks familiar,’” Collins said. Pumpkins and other festive hints were chosen over images of people as the idea behind the work is to invite discovery.
With Judy at the helm, Dale Collins worked out the architectural logistics for the project, choosing to use aircraft cable for the suspension of the 250 glass sheets. Their son, a researcher in environmental science, assisted with the selection of images and final installation. The Collins have been working with large-scale glass for over 33 years, but only now are getting the opportunity to share what has been decades in the making. When asked what’s next on the agenda, Judy remarked, “I wouldn’t rule anything out. I enjoy figuring out how to do it all a different way. Life’s not long enough and I have too many ideas. The only question is, ‘Will the opportunity arise?’”
collins architectural glass; aerial glass sculpture; des moines, iowa; photo courtesy: collins architectural glass
Videos of the installation of this and other completed projects can be viewed here.
- Katharine Morales