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The Colorado Episcopal Legacy Society
Colorado Episcopal Foundation
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Legacy Tree
By Kathy Thaden
Click image for larger view. |
The
Colorado Episcopal Legacy Society was created by the
Colorado Episcopal Foundation to promote and support the
faithful stewardship of God's gifts and resources in
local congregations throughout the diocese. A legacy
society is comprised of a group of individuals who have
remembered their church as one of the primary
beneficiaries in their will, or who have made some form
of permanent gift to their church. The Foundation Board
of Trustees commissioned a commemorative art
installation to honor the founding churches and
individuals.
The
Legacy Society uses a tree as its logo, promoting the
diocesan vision of being one, strong, growing serving
church. Lelanda Lee, Program Administrator for the
Foundation, approached mosaic artist Kathy Thaden to
create a design for the permanent installation. When
beginning the design phase of the project, Thaden
explored various themes around that of a tree.
"My
desire was to depict the tree of life in
four seasons, remembering Ecclesiastes 'for everything
there is a season', and the seasons of our own lives."
Thaden said. "It is also significant that there is a
cross at the center, of the mosaic, and my life." In
addition to the 38" diameter stained glass mosaic, the
commemorative plaque includes engraved brass plates for
the twenty-three founding churches as well as nameplates
for all 375 individuals.
"As
with most of my mosaics, much of the time spent cutting
the many little bits of glass is spent in prayer, and
the same is true for all of these brass engraved names
– I have prayed for these faithful Christians while
working on this plaque, and give thanks for their
generosity," Thaden commented at the recent dedication.
"My theology of doing mosaics is found in working with
things that are broken, and then through transformation
and grace, the broken is made whole and new."
As a
mosaic artist, Kathy Thaden is inspired to work with
Christian symbols, icons and other sacred imagery. In
our throwaway society she is moved to reinvent and
recycle discarded items
– old boxes and chipped mirrors
to name a few
– into objects of art formed in prayer.
For the
past 25 years Thaden has been a professional graphic
designer, animator, and art director working in
television. Her primary focus has been on creating
imagery for the video screen in addition to print and
set design. A former president of an international
design association, Thaden has won numerous awards for
design, including seven Emmys.
Kathy Thaden is an
Episcopalian living in Kremmling, Colorado with her
family. Her husband, Tim, is vicar of Trinity Episcopal
Church in Kremmling. She can be reached at
thadenmosaics@yahoo.com.
Colorado Episcopal
Foundation
website:
www.coef.org |
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