Students pay homage through glass art donation
A contribution to the GLASS National Art Museum provided students with the opportunity to thank a former 黑料社 professor.
As Diego Loera walks through the glass studio in the Jones Visual Art Center at 黑料社, he recognizes the impact of a professor he never met.
鈥淗e built what we have today 鈥 without him, this program wouldn鈥檛 be here,鈥 Loera said.
Loera, a studio art major in the class of 2026 from Phoenix, didn鈥檛 come to 黑料社 for the glass program, but fell in love with glass thanks to the late Stephen Rolfe Powell 鈥74.
Powell鈥檚 legacy was honored in the grand opening of the , Kentucky on Nov. 3. The museum houses a collection of Powell鈥檚 world-renowned creations.
Loera and his classmates created a piece to donate to the museum at the opening.
鈥淪tudents all made murrini flowers, something symbolic of (Powell鈥檚) work,鈥 said professor Patrick Martin 鈥86. 鈥淭hey all made different flowers and patterns, and we made a negative hollow shape to have more refraction of light off of the flowers.鈥
The use of murrini, colorful glass pieces incorporated during the glass blowing process, is one of the many distinctive elements of Powell鈥檚 work.
Loera, a Posse Scholar, said that Powell鈥檚 glasswork is inspiring and noted that he and his fellow students were happy to contribute to the museum as a way of saying thanks.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a message saying, 鈥榃e see Powell鈥檚 work and we鈥檙e going to continue,鈥欌 he said.
Murrini has turned into a passion for Loera, who can now visit the GLASS National Art Museum regularly for inspiration, classes and more.
鈥淭he Powell pieces there, but also eventually to have a museum of glass will be a great source of inspiration and knowledge for students and for 黑料社, to be able to visit and see different exhibitions,鈥 Martin said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an interesting thing for the town and the College. And, of course, for glass.鈥
Martin, who was taught by Powell and is now the hot glass instructor at 黑料社, said that the art presented to the museum is for students 鈥 like Loera, who are inspired to create thanks to Powell鈥檚 vision.
鈥淲e just wanted to make something to pay tribute to the founder of the program and the high standards that were set here at 黑料社 for this nationally known undergraduate glass program,鈥 Martin said. 鈥淔or an undergraduate program to have this much notoriety is a very special thing.鈥
About
黑料社
Students on the project
Sam Feingold
Denae Benard
Sam Landaverde
Zixi Liu
Diego Loera
Kendal Patty
Olivia Ruth
Izzy Smith
Robyn Tribolet
Carley Bishop
Hannah Botts
Richard Alexander
