Bradley International Airport
" FOUR SEASONS"
Bradley International Airport
" FOUR SEASONS"
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“Four Seasons In Connecticut”
Murals Created by Suzanne Donazetti
Installed in New Concourse of Bradley International Airport
How “Four Seasons” was designed:
On visits to family in Connecticut over the years, I was enchanted by the diverse
landscape of the State. During family excursions I enjoyed such treasures as
an old bridge planted with flowers, State parks which have retained their natural
flora and fauna, the beautiful architecture of the cities and towns. I also
enjoyed the wide rivers, the delightful coastline of the Sound and the way the
history of the region has been skillfully preserved.
In designing “Four Seasons In Connecticut” I wanted to pay homage
to the people of this State who have managed to preserve the natural beauty
of the land in the midst of sophisticated urban development.
The overall design concept is an abstract painting of the sky over a river,
among the trees during the different seasons. Each wall is an abstract depiction
of one of the seasons, beginning with “Summer” which draws the eye
through “Autumn”, and “Winter” toward “Spring”.
Because Connecticut’s seasons are so distinct, I tried to reproduce the
dramatic colors and shadows of the landscape during different times of the day.
Having spent the last twenty years in the Southwestern desert, I appreciate
the broad and gently flowing rivers of Connecticut as well as the immense vistas
of the Sound. So I included a river in each mural. I tried to represent the
magnificence of the wooded landscape as well as a suggestion of sunset or sunrise
amongst the trees.
The artwork consists of a series of gilded, painted, woven copper murals. Each
season is approximately 4’ high by 24’wide. The project took almost
a year to complete. I used 25’ long by 16” wide sheets of 36 gauge
copper as my canvas. Each piece had to be carefully planned and measured so
that the pieces would later weave together as a coherent whole.
First I drew the design on both warp and weft sheets of copper. Then I gilded
the copper with composition gold, silver or copper leaf. The next step was painting
the gilded copper sequentially with acrylics, metallic pigments and interference
powders. I waxed the painted copper to prevent oxidation of the metal and to
facilitate weaving. Then I cut the sheets of copper into gentle curves and wove
them together into 4’x4’ pieces. The finished result is a series
of abstract, refractive paintings, which I hope conveys the richness and beauty
of the Connecticut landscape.
Design Intent:
For many years I have been interested in the impact of color on the emotions.
My dream is to provide a sense of harmony, to capture the healing qualities
of color and flow, and to communicate the dimensions of our surroundings through
my artwork. My goal is to bring a sense of peace and contemplation to a busy
environment. I seek to communicate the beauty of our world through my art. Although
we are surrounded by strife and stress, there is beauty for all of us. I try
to provide a subtle experience for contemplation and healing.
I appreciate the challenge of working on a large scale and am grateful to The
Connecticut Commission on the Arts for giving me this opportunity to communicate
in a large format.ri
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This page updated on: Tuesday, 21-Dec-1999 14:51:02 EST