Losing Focus
Artist
Lisabeth Sterling
(American, born 1958)
Date2010
MediumGlass and copper
DimensionsOverall: 25 1/4 × 10 1/4 in. (64.1 × 26 cm)
ClassificationsGlass
Credit LineGift of Marian S. Kessler, 2018
Object numberSN11643
Working in the cameo glass technique, Lisabeth Sterling creates low relief imagery by engraving layered colors of glass. Much of Sterling’s work features enigmatic imagery, but Losing Focus portrays a personal narrative. While not specific portraits, the faces represent the artist and her sisters surrounded by gingko leaves. This imagery continues onto the acid-etched copper for a seamlessly layered design. Since gingko leaves are considered an herbal remedy for memory issues, here the artist beautifully depicts them to symbolically reference their mother’s memory loss from dementia.
On View
Not on view
late 19th century