How It Was Done!

Producing a work of art on this scale is not a simple matter. Many steps are involved as well as many people who must have input on the design of the material. What follows is only a partial listing of the steps required to complete Fantasy: On a Theme from Life, Suites One and Two, for the Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center.

Preparing The Proposal.  Development of idea, medallions  Used architectural elevations for site.  Made maquettes and samples.  Worked with contractors and architects.  Chosen as Artist for Site.  Timing and calendar
Researching The Design  Used Medical Library.  Restrictions imposed by selection committee.  Imagery of hearts in surgery.  Imagery of blood cells under microscope.  New drawings presented.  New financial estimate.  New time table and calendaring.  Acceptance of the proposal.  Financing arranged.  Studio assistants hired.
Preparing the Drawings To Scale.  How to get them into four foot squares.  Projecting the images.  Numbering and lettering parts.  Reproducing to scale.  Setting up work boards. Designing the Clay Work.  Slabs rolled and stiffened.  Templates cut.
 Textures assigned and applied.  Pieces cut and placed.  Colored slips applied.  Tiles dried.  Tiles fired for the first time. Glazing  Testing Colors.  Applying glazes.  Firing the second time.  Reworking surfaces.  Firing third and fourth times.  Shifting tiles to prepared boards.
 Mortaring tiles to cement boards.  Packing tiles for storage and shipping. Storage and Transport  Trucking firm engaged.  Getting it all into the new building Installation  Fastening cement boards to wall.  Working 12 feet off the ground.  Using scaffold and scissor lift.  Mortaring in loose pieces.  Grouting using many colors.  Washing and cleaning medallions
Photographing the Completed Work.  Photographed by a professional photographer using scaffold and lift.  Site photos.  Photos for publication and presentation.  Photos for Hospital printed materials.

Finally. This last photo shows one of the suites, heavily masked with blue masking tape, ready for one of the Final, Finished and Fun steps - hand grouting around each and every one of the 2500 ceramic tiles, with a different color of grout used in each section.