CATHEDRAL
Rachel Broyles
I have always found inspiration in sensory and tactile experiences, and for my senior show, I wanted to translate my graphic design experience into a sculpturally designed installation. Because graphic design is traditionally a practical and two dimensional medium, I wanted to address the sense of touch and create a visual experience for the viewer.
This show centers on my childhood fascination with the rose medallion stained glass in the church I grew up in. In this installation, I wanted to capture the wonder I felt when looking up at the way natural light illuminates the glass. I rekindled my enamor with stained glass when I visited the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. I was able to see how the small pieces of primary colored glass blended together when viewed as a whole to create a glowing violet, which is why I decided to create a spiraling rose medallion pattern and only use red and blue. To me, church was a welcoming and accessible community, so I decided to create my show from a fabric that invited the viewer to touch and to experience in a way that stained glass cannot while maintaining the visual effects that it has.
To display my pieces, I hung them in a tree to emphasize the way that natural light changes the show. I captured pictures throughout the day and a video to show how the wind brings the pieces to life.
2pm
6pm
8:30pm
ARTIST BIO
Graduating art and business administration double major Rachel Broyles has focused her academic career on graphic design and marketing. She has loved creating since she was a kid, and she is working towards channeling this lifelong love into creative strategy career.
In her senior thesis project, she wanted to draw inspiration from the love of art she had as a child.
This collection is a whimsical, joyful experience, and
a celebration of Rachel's undergraduate journey.