The public is invited to join Sawdust Art Festival board members in dedicating a sculptured glass “torch of life” memorial, crafted to honor deceased contributors to the cooperative, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21.
“It’s been a long time coming, and it has finally arrived,” said board member Jay Grant, adding that the installation will help preserve some of the legacy of “some very special people who made a significant contribution to our show.”
Sitting on a two-foot curving stainless steel base that was wrestled into submission by sculptor Larry Gill, the amber glass flame emerged out of last month’s collaborative effort by nine glassblowers including Gavin Heath, Loren Chapman, John Barber, Michele Taylor, Nicole McQuaid, Jason McQuaid, Christopher Jeffries, Marcus Thesing and Muffin Spencer-Devlin.
Eventually the names of the 80 plus honorees selected to be remembered so far will be stenciled onto the sculpture’s base. Until now, plaques on the wall of Healy House have served to memorialize Sawdust honorees.
