Beacon

Beacon. . , Glass making in West Virginia began with the abundance of sandstone, limestone and coal. While there were at least 14 other glass makers in Morgantown, much of my research was done in Star City. Star City was founded in 1907 and named by Louis Kauffeld, general manager of the Star Glass Company. Kauffeld's factory was the first oil lamp chimney producer in West Virginia and made 72 different kinds of lamp chimneys., "Beacon" utilizes the raw ingredients used in glass making. Sandstone is the main ingredient in glass making. Sandstone is pulverized to make silica then melted to make glass. Coal was used as the source of heat in the process. Limestone was added to give color to the glass. While researching this sculpture, I visited Davis-Lynch glass company in Star City. They donated the glass chunks used in "Beacon". Coal, sandstone, and limestone were items I found in and along the Monongalia river. I used a hollowed cotton wood tree to frame and display the raw materials., When viewing "Beacon", light is an important factor. Sunlight shines through the large glass piece at the top of the sculpture. The symbolism is intended for the viewer to be reminded of the rich glass making history in the Morgantown area. I want viewers to remember the people who worked at the glass factories. These men and women were artists of their day. It took great skill to work with glass. Men worked the fires and shaping of glass while woman worked with the etching, washing and packing. Although most glàss factories in West Virginia have closed operations, there are individual artists and few small factories still operating today. "Beacon… West Virginia Glass Making” shines a light on them.