Artwork copyright Richard La Londe. Photo courtesy of the artist.

West, 1994

Richard La Londe
(American, born 1950)

Location: Saltar's Point Elementary School, Steilacoom

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

West is part of artist Richard La Londe’s series of fused glass wall sculptures that illustrate his children’s book “Heart of the World” which he self-published in 1994. This panel depicts the following passage: “The stranger and the goddess stood together and looked into the sunset of the West. This was the direction of contemplation. They saw fulfillment of life, the bounty and harvest, the return and spawning of the salmon…”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Steilacoom Historical School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Glass artist Richard La Londe creates elaborate glass murals that are pictorial narratives full of symbolism and color. He is also known for his glass handkerchief vessels.

La Londe grew up in Vancouver, Southwestern Washington. In 1972, he graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a degree in Geology. He immediately started making art and worked odd jobs. La Londe is a pioneer in the fused glass movement. He was one of the initial artists in the 1980s to work and experiment with Bullseye Glass Company's colored glass for fusing. He has taught glass fusing at the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Northwestern Washington, as well as around the United States and Canada. Today, La Londe lives on Whidbey Island in Northern Puget Sound, Western Washington. His work has been exhibited and commissioned internationally.

Describing his technique, La Londe notes: “I outline the design on a clear piece of glass by applying a thin line of powdered glass that is suspended in a gum medium. Then I lay crushed colored glass into the outlined areas in a manner similar to sand painting. This is fused in a kiln, cooled, flipped over, and fused a second time producing depth.” The basics of this fused glass technique dates back to ancient Egypt, 3,500 years ago.