FIRE IT FORWARD TACOMA LIGHT TRAIL 2024
Fire it Forward created a community art piece for this year’s Tacoma Light Trail that incorporates all facets of glass art in full size Japanese style floor lantern. Each of the tiers to the complete tower has an individual theme and community emphasis and history with the Fire it Forward program. The three tiers are the Fire Box surrounded by Fire Logs illuminated with fire blown bulbs, the Fish Tank Ocean Habitat which is a bright variety of all areas of glass art teaming with sea life, and finishing with the Butterfly Garden bursting with color and life at the top. The individual contributions and artistic collaboration for this piece are quite extensive. It is important to explain each section and the unique impact and story each themed tier has and all the families and individuals that collectively completed the final larger art piece and completed exhibit.
Military Fire Box and Driftwood Fire Logs
The fusion glass panels that line the bottom box were done by our community military members and their families. We hosted several mobile fusion glass workshops and even recruited some of the artists from the Veteran’s Day event at the Museum of Glass and the Hot Shop Heroes. We did an afternoon fusion glass workshop with the staff at Paws for Purple Hearts who connect us to our four-legged veteran family. The rest of the art was done by other veterans and military families we’ve met along the way.
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The Fish Tank Ocean Habitat
The Fish Tank Ocean Habitat is a combination of larger Boro lampworked tropical fish attached to hot glass sculptures of sea grass and coral. The clear glass tubing was used to accent and suspend some of the fish and help with lighting the larger tropical fish. These larger fish and sea shell were sculpted by multi-media artist Becky Michael. She was one of the first lampworking glass artist I met and worked with during the pandemic. The smaller soft glass lamp-worked clown fish are swimming in a bed of sea anemones made by cold-worked flat spirally pieces of a very special glass blower’s favorite color bar bits. The sea turtle was one of the first ocean creatures that was made in the hot shop by Fin for Oceanfest 2023. After Oceanfest, Fire It Forward continued working with South Sound Surfrider and their volunteer program hiding our glass art during their beach clean-up events just a we originally did for Oceanfest.
Butterfly Garden
The butterfly garden is the ultimate combination of fusion glass, lampworking, hot glass sculptures and the art of multi media with wood, flowers, lights and a variety of small hidden art pieces and imagery. The representation of butterflies gives life, energy, and a colorful habitat buzzing with life. Butterflies are seen as fragile and beautiful and a sign of hope in nature. Fire it Forward also incorporated a special group of individuals and families with Butterflies as a tribute to their strength and unique cause:
Recycled Art & Memories
In addition to a variety of glass art techniques, ability levels and so many artists and individuals that came out to learn and connect, this particular community project has one more special key element to share. Much of the materials used to decorate and accent the different boxes are made from personal items from the past. The wooden frame, flower accents, white milk glass flower vase, and the drift wood and medrona branches were recycled to be used to accent the entire art piece. The fire box is accented with parts of family members walking stick that have passed away (Michael Barlow and Stephanie Barlow) The drift wood is from years of nature’s connection and making art projects. The flowers are from the actual flower arrangements from my daughter’s wedding (Sam Barlow), and the white vase that holds the beautiful bouquet of glass flowers was part of my mother, Joyce Williamson’s cherish Milk Glass collection. Having these cherished items as part of such an extensive art piece with all these interwoven items and experiences makes it that more memorable for me personally, and creates and interesting story behind the art!
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