Lawrence Morrell's artworks are inspired from science and nature and the subtle, minute textures that surround us but are invisible to the naked eye. Throughout Morrell's art career, he has created images and textures in glass to create sculptures that are inspired by scientific research. He recently completed The Elements of Matter, a 30-foot-long sculpture in the Portland Center for the Performing Arts (Oregon). The illuminated glass bar top was created by laminating layers of etched and carved glass together and embedding very small and bright LED lights inside the glass. The edges are chiseled so that they glow from the interior illumination. The sculpture is interactive: when it is approached, a pulsing and glowing light pattern starts cycling. The designs inside the glass were inspired by research images from the CERN Supercollider in Switzerland. They represent the tracks of sub-atomic particles after atoms were smashed and captured in the bubble chamber.
Morrell initially studied fine art at the University of Oregon before moving to New York City for 15 years. He collaborated with other artists to create the New York Vietnam War Memorial, a 40-foot-long etched glass wall in Manhattan. Morrell was interviewed on the McNeil/Lehrer News hour on public television about the experience. In 1994, Morrell moved from Manhattan to Portland and has continued to devote his life to revealing the beauty of science in art.
Affilliations:
Portland Art Museum, Portland Oregon
Shuguang Zhang, Ph.D.
Center for Biomedical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Glass Art Museum, Tacoma Washington