Artwork copyright Liz Mapelli. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Liz Mapelli. Photo courtesy of the artist (detail).

Artwork copyright Liz Mapelli. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Magnificent M, 2007

Liz Mapelli
(American, born 1948)

Location: Madrona Elementary, SeaTac, SeaTac

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Artist Liz Mapelli was inspired by the Madrone tree to create this artwork for Madrona Elementary School in SeaTac, Western Washington. A Scottish botanist, Archibald Menzies, documented the Madrone tree in 1792. It has red-brown peeling bark, smooth, dark green leaves with white flowers in the spring and red-orange berries in the fall. The Madrone is native to the western coastal areas from British Columbia to California.

Mapelli created a wall-mounted fused glass panel showing a large Madrone blossom surrounded by subjects relating to the tree. Pieces of glass were cut and placed on a solid sheet of glass that was used as a base. Glass strings and chips were added until many loose pieces of glass were piled up. This panel was then placed in the kiln and fired for approximately 24 hours until all the separate pieces of glass melted together to create one large piece of fused glass.

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

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Artist Liz Mapelli is known in the Pacific Northwest for her large-scale glass artworks. She typically designed and installed her work as individual pieces or entire walls, floors, and ceilings. She currently focuses on printmaking and lives in Guanajuato, Mexico. She previously lived and worked in Skamania County, Southwestern Washington for many years.