The globes were designed in 2002 & 2004 as gifts to honor the University of Washington Presidental Laureates. Each Presidental Laureate has been extraordinarily generous, contributing $10 million or more to the University.
The finished glass sphere, eight inches in diameter, begins as a much smaller cylinder of layers of multicolored blown glass that is sandblasted to create the impression of continents. Then it is reheated to 2000 degrees and coated with another layer of clear glass, the piece is painstakingly blown again. Finally, it is polished and holes are drilled to accommodate the metalwork. The nature of the process and the medium make every piece unique. Each globe is signed and dated by the artist |
