By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Artist Gail Christofferson is proud of her most recent work.
While being interviewed near the track on the second floor of the Bowling Green Recreation Center, she asks those passing by what they think of the new glass mosaic above the lobby. The walkers approve.
Gail Christofferson
Christofferson shares that sense of pride with hundreds of others. Almost 800 Bowling Green residents, kids through seniors, had a hand in creating those 40 glass quilt squares.
They helped sort and trim the bits of glass and place them within the designs. Those designs were created not just by Christofferson, but also by Bowling Green High art students, the Conneaut Art Club and members of the Black Swamp Quilters Guild.
On Tuesday, May 9, at 4 p.m. a celebration of the installation will be held.
Those “funky quilt squares” were appropriate for the project, Christofferson said. “A quilt was made by the community. It was an heirloom that was valued. I like that concept.”
And like a quilt, the mosaic is functional art.
Parks and Recreation Director Kristen Otley approached Christofferson about creating the mosaic to help moderate the sunlight that would pour into the lobby at certain times of the day during mid-summer. Those rays left those working at the front desk literally blinded by the light.
The “funky quilt” idea worked because the artist wasn’t sure how many mosaic panels she’d have to work it.
Besides forming the artistic vision, she had to martial the community forces to work on it. Christofferson said she could have done the work herself, but having the community involved was an important part of the project. So crafting work gave way to filling out paperwork and making telephone calls.
She was glad to have the help of the Kiwanis’ college affiliate help with grouting the 40 panels. “If I had to do it all myself, my hands would have fallen off,” she said.
In the past year, she has brought together folks at Wood Lane, Montessori School of Bowling Green, Conneaut Elementary, the Wood County Educational Service Center, Kiwanis, Behavioral Connections, and Brookdale Bowling Green.
She would spend an entire day working in a school.
She held three open sessions at the Art in the Park, and two movie nights. All intended to get as many hands involved in the project as possible.
In mid-April with the 20-inch-by-20-inch panels completed, Christofferson and a retired engineer showed up with a scissor lift to install the mosaic. It took a full week. During that time, Christofferson said she was constantly asking people’s opinion of the work.
On Thursday, Carol Lommatzsch was walking around the track, but was happy to stop and talk about the mosaic. She said she loved it. She likes that it has a local flare with the outline of Wood County and an ear of corn.
“It just gives you a lift,” “Lommatzsch said. The recreation center is a wonderful place to be, and the mosaic just adds to it. “This just speaks out to the community.”
Christofferson said she and Otley are discussing creating a second mosaic for the northwest end of the lobby. A drab brown curtain now hangs in the spot. The artist knows she can add a few dabs of color in that direction as well.
