Artwork copyright Cappy Thompson. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1986.

Artwork copyright Cappy Thompson. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1986.

The Lion and The Mouse, 1982

Cappy Thompson
(American, born 1952)

Location: River Homelink School, Battle Ground

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Artist Cappy Thompson's 'The Lion and The Mouse’ is part of a series of "grisaille" stained glass windows inspired by animal fables.

This artwork shows us one of Aesop’s fables, with the lesson that size isn’t everything. The artist's re-telling of the fable is: “A mouse meets a lion in the woods one day, and begs mercy that he not be eaten, and promises that if his life is spared, he will return the favor to the lion someday. The lion says he doubts that such a small fellow could help the king of beasts, but that he will allow the mouse his freedom anyway. One day, the lion finds himself trapped in a hunter’s net, and the more he struggles to get free, the more entangled he becomes. His friend the mouse arrives in the nick of time to gnaw the ropes of the net and free the lion.”

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

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Celebrated Seattle-based glass artist Cappy Thompson creates rich "mytho-poetic narratives" in her vibrant and animated stained-glass artworks. Her site-specific installations draw imagery from myths, poetry, and personal expression.
To create her vivid and detailed scenes, Thompson often uses a glass painting technique called "grisaille" where black line drawings are painted on glass, which is then fired in a kiln to make the line drawings permanent. Grisaille has existed since medieval times (approximately 450-1450) and is what you often see in stained glass windows in European churches.
Thompson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Western Washington in 1976. She has taught at art and glass programs around the world from Mexico to Australia to Germany, as well as locally at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Northwestern Washington, and Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle.