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Mosaic sets tone at veterans museum
By MELODY PARKER, Courier Arts / Special Sections Editor
WATERLOO --- Behind the curved glass mosaic, the sounds of battle fade away.
In the midst of interactive and informative exhibits at the new Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum at the Grout Museum, the intimate memorial provides space for contemplation and reflection.
"The intent is to provide people with an opportunity to reflect on what they've seen after going through the exhibits. On the wall is a scrolling list of people who died in service of the country, who may have been killed in action or died of disease or accident or listed 'missing in action.' The memorial commemorates their service and sacrifice, and for those going through the museum, it points out the possible ramifications of war," said Bob Neymeyer, veterans project coordinator.
Presently, 21,000 names of the fallen scroll past on a continuous loop. Approximately 13,000 names date from the Civil War.
The newly opened $11.5 million museum, named for George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan who died while serving together aboard the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal, features exhibits from the Civil War to the present in which Iowans served. It also brings into focuses the support and sacrifices of families waiting at home.
A glass mosaic created by Bogenrief Studios in Sutherland, Iowa, commemorates and encircles the memorial. "We asked them to provide us with something that reflects the different services over the entire period and that also reflects the changing diversity of who serviced. What they came up with has been very well received," Neymeyer said.
It shows male and female figures in various eras of military dress, as well as the American flag and bald eagle, Iowa state and POW/MIA flags, and the poignant phrase "on behalf of a grateful nation" beneath hands clasping a folded American flag.
"I think people are really in awe of it. It's beautiful. It's meant to honor veterans and I think it does. The folded flag is symbolic of passing on the flag to family members," said Robin Venter, curator.
The mosaic was funded with grants from the Community Foundation of Waterloo/Cedar Falls and Northeast Iowa and Waterloo Convention and Visitor's Bureau Hotel/Motel tax.
Split Rock Studio in Minneapolis designed the exhibit and built the framework.
Creating the glass mosaic itself was painstaking work, said Jeanne Bogenrief of Bogenrief Studios. "Working on a curve was a challenge. We had to be ingenious to keep the glass pieces in place while it was being created. This is also the first time we've done people in a mosaic like this. We've done many 'Lady' windows, but nothing like this."
Bogenrief Studios is nationally acclaimed and their stained glass commissions can be found in both public and private collections throughout the United States.
The Iowa Veterans Museum commission is considered a mosaic, not true stained glass, Bogenrief said, because "light reflects off it and onto a solid surface. With stained glass, the glass is transparent and light goes through it. Also, mosaic is glued and grouted, rather than foiled and soldered."
The mosaic is build as one solid wall in three sections with glass pieces attached to a backing board.
Designing it took several months. "We went through several renditions to arrive at the final design. The entire process of planning and creating the glass mosaic took about nine months. It was a fun project to work on and we learned a lot. This is the first one like this we've ever done, but it won't be the last. I'm looking forward to getting to Waterloo to see the mosaic in place. I'm so impressed that Waterloo can have a museum of that calibre, and I think it says something about Iowa, too," Bogenrief said.
Contact Melody Parker at 291-1429 or melody.parker@wcfcourier.com.
In the midst of interactive and informative exhibits at the new Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum at the Grout Museum, the intimate memorial provides space for contemplation and reflection.
"The intent is to provide people with an opportunity to reflect on what they've seen after going through the exhibits. On the wall is a scrolling list of people who died in service of the country, who may have been killed in action or died of disease or accident or listed 'missing in action.' The memorial commemorates their service and sacrifice, and for those going through the museum, it points out the possible ramifications of war," said Bob Neymeyer, veterans project coordinator.
Presently, 21,000 names of the fallen scroll past on a continuous loop. Approximately 13,000 names date from the Civil War.
The newly opened $11.5 million museum, named for George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan who died while serving together aboard the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal, features exhibits from the Civil War to the present in which Iowans served. It also brings into focuses the support and sacrifices of families waiting at home.
A glass mosaic created by Bogenrief Studios in Sutherland, Iowa, commemorates and encircles the memorial. "We asked them to provide us with something that reflects the different services over the entire period and that also reflects the changing diversity of who serviced. What they came up with has been very well received," Neymeyer said.
It shows male and female figures in various eras of military dress, as well as the American flag and bald eagle, Iowa state and POW/MIA flags, and the poignant phrase "on behalf of a grateful nation" beneath hands clasping a folded American flag.
"I think people are really in awe of it. It's beautiful. It's meant to honor veterans and I think it does. The folded flag is symbolic of passing on the flag to family members," said Robin Venter, curator.
The mosaic was funded with grants from the Community Foundation of Waterloo/Cedar Falls and Northeast Iowa and Waterloo Convention and Visitor's Bureau Hotel/Motel tax.
Split Rock Studio in Minneapolis designed the exhibit and built the framework.
Creating the glass mosaic itself was painstaking work, said Jeanne Bogenrief of Bogenrief Studios. "Working on a curve was a challenge. We had to be ingenious to keep the glass pieces in place while it was being created. This is also the first time we've done people in a mosaic like this. We've done many 'Lady' windows, but nothing like this."
Bogenrief Studios is nationally acclaimed and their stained glass commissions can be found in both public and private collections throughout the United States.
The Iowa Veterans Museum commission is considered a mosaic, not true stained glass, Bogenrief said, because "light reflects off it and onto a solid surface. With stained glass, the glass is transparent and light goes through it. Also, mosaic is glued and grouted, rather than foiled and soldered."
The mosaic is build as one solid wall in three sections with glass pieces attached to a backing board.
Designing it took several months. "We went through several renditions to arrive at the final design. The entire process of planning and creating the glass mosaic took about nine months. It was a fun project to work on and we learned a lot. This is the first one like this we've ever done, but it won't be the last. I'm looking forward to getting to Waterloo to see the mosaic in place. I'm so impressed that Waterloo can have a museum of that calibre, and I think it says something about Iowa, too," Bogenrief said.
Contact Melody Parker at 291-1429 or melody.parker@wcfcourier.com.
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