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Timepiece Series
This series is inspired by the earliest of timepieces, an astrolabe. The
astrolabe or “star-holder” is an ancient instrument that was used at night
to locate the positions of stars, sun, moon and the planets for navigation.
The complexity of its mathematical design enabled the holder of the
astrolabe to calculate time and predict sunrise and sunset.
The night sky seems so random; but the ancient astrolabe was a means
to interpret and order the vast celestial sky as a way to understand and
mark time. It drew order out of seeming chaos and random events. It
serves as a symbol of the understanding and meaning of time.
ARTIST STATEMENT Weaving Community and Culture reflects upon the community of Silver Spring. The Civic Building is a testament to our ongoing commitment to the community and to the desire to create opportunities for the arts to flourish. The local community has a rich history and our strength, ultimately, is in our rich cultural diversity. For these reasons, I chose to work with a woven structure of aluminum, to signify the weaving together of our diverse cultures.
The color palette is based loosely on the colors of flags from around the world — a tangible means of capturing the diversity that one sees in Silver Spring.
The surfaces of the aluminum panels vary—some portions are painted, while other areas are polished and drilled. The resulting mosaic of color, energy and spirit is meant to capture the best of this community.
ARTIST BIO
Francie Hester has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally. Her work is represented in numerous private and corporate collections, including the World Bank, Freddie Mac, Capital One, KPMG, and the International Monetary Fund. She has received honorary grants from the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and from the Arts Council of Montgomery County, Maryland. Hester’s commissioned works include a 1996 piece for the Ginetta Sagan Fund of Amnesty International and an 18-foot atrium piece for the Chicago Kent College of Law. In addition, she has created large-scale sculptural aluminum paintings for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Booz Allen Hamilton and National Endowment for the Arts Member Benefits. She received her M.F.A. in painting from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.F.A. in painting from the University of Michigan. She lives in Silver Spring with her family. 2010 Materials: Acrylic, raw pigments, and wax on aluminum honey-combed panel. Weaving Community and Culture The color palette is based loosely on the colors of flags from around the world — a tangible means of capturing the diversity that one sees in Silver Spring.
