PONCE’S CRYSTAL SPHERE is a carved glass wall located in the voluminous atrium of the Orange County Convention Center. The deeply carved glass is almost two inches thick in places and incorporates laminations of glass, mirror, dichroic glass and applied colour.
The dichroic glass that is utilized in sections of the piece is a material originally developed by NASA. It has the ability to reflect one colour and transmit another. This gives certain areas of the piece the ability to colour shift as the light changes throughout the day.
The piece has both literal and allegorical intentions. It considers the relationship between Florida’s lush and rugged landscape, juxtaposed with the sophistication of its high tech industries. The work attempts to express the ideal of balance within an apparent dichotomy.
While musing about what 15th century Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de Leon, would have thought of modern day Florida. I visualized the explorer staring into the depths of a crystal ball. The title of the work, PONCE’S CRYSTAL SPHERE, reflects my musing.