Bogenrief to design ICCC sculpture

(Photos by Kris Todd) Jesse Bogenrief submitted these three models of DNA to Iowa Central Community College representatives in his application to design an indoor sculpture for the Fort Dodge campus' new Bio-Science Health Science Center. [Order this photo]

When the doors to a new facility on the Iowa Central Community College campus open next July, work from local artists will be featured in it.

Jesse Bogenrief of Bogenrief Studios in Spencer has been commissioned to complete an indoor sculpture for the Bio-Science Health Science Center on the Fort Dodge campus.

"We had a capital campaign two years ago, and we were lucky enough to receive money for our new bio-science-health building. In addition, the Catherine Deardorf Foundation in Fort Dodge gave us money for the building and also gave us money to commission some artwork for the building, to incorporate public art into the building project. So, we looked around and decided to commission Jesse Bogenrief to do a glass piece for the bio-science building," explained Laurie Hendricks, ICCC vice president of development and alumni relations.

The "winning" model will be on display in the Art Barn during the 2008 Clay County Fair. [Order this photo]

The building, which will be a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified "green" building, will be complemented by Bogenrief's sculpture, which will incorporate a mixture of recycled and hand-blown glass and metal.

"That's one of the things that's nice about being a glass artist: You get to work in all those different mediums. Just because you're a glass artist doesn't mean you're just stuck working with glass. Glass works so well with metal, wood and some of the other products," Bogenrief said.

The project, which is anticipated to measure 7 feet in diameter and between 22 and 25 feet tall when it's completed, is the largest blown-glass piece Bogenrief has taken on.

"Both dimensions are about twice as big as anything we've ever done," Bogenrief said. "We've done something that's about 13 - 14 feet tall before, but it didn't have near the scale that this one will have. This one will dwarf that one."

Bogenrief plans to work on the sculpture along with fellow Bogenrief Studios glass workers Jake Kluver, Simeon Lisk and John Curiel.

Of the three models he initially submitted to ICCC representatives, Bogenrief recalled, "Even they were kind of fun. We spent about 150 hours on the three models."

"One of the things, when they asked me to draw it up, was to keep the theme of the building in mind for the piece," he added. "Hence, the semi-deconstructed DNA look."

The 34,600-square foot Bio-Science Health Science Center, meanwhile, is scheduled to open on July 1, 2009.

"We're very excited to be able to put some new artwork -- the first commissioned piece of public art -- on the campus. And, we're excited to use a local Iowa artist," Hendricks said.