Artwork copyright Sonja Blomdahl. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Sonja Blomdahl. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Sonja Blomdahl. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Join Together, 2007

Sonja Blomdahl
(American, born 1952)

Location: Thompson Elementary, Tacoma

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Sonja Blomdahl created Join Together for Chester Thompson Elementary. The four-part glass installation features overlapping, hand-blown disks. Called "rondelles," she describes these colorful glass pieces as "bowls spun out flat." She used multiple colors of glass bubbles to create rings of different colors. She notes, "I titled this piece Join Together because I want the glass panels and colors to join together, blend and change. I hope this happens at the school too, where students, staff and community can join together and see things from different points of view."

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

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Seattle-based glass artist Sonja Blomdahl creates contemporary fine art objects. She uses a traditional Venetian glass blowing technique in which multiple glass elements are fused together.

Blomdahl began glassmaking as an undergraduate student during the 1970s. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ceramics from Massachusetts College of Art (Boston) in 1974. She has taught at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Northwestern Washington, Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine, and the Appalachian Center in Tennessee.