Page 94 - Cityview_July_August_2014

Jolley began his glasswork in 1970 as a

student at Tusculum College in Greenville,
later earning his BFA at George Peabody
College in Nashville. He continued graduate

studies in North Carolina.

Jolley, who established his Knoxville studio in 1975, has participated in more than 65 solo
museum and gallery exhibitions around the world.

shine through from certain angles. it was 150 of another,” says Jolley. his solu-

created in two parts in order to enable tion was to create a detailed, elaborate

this piece to fit into the museum, and the system to track each and every one of
layered composition of the two pieces the thousands of pieces. each piece

creates a different view of “Contempla- and box was given a number and let-
tion” from every point in the room. the ter, and Jolley kept long lists of num-

seventh and final portion of the Cycle of bers and letters to keep track of where for Jolley, this massive piece is part

Life is suspended from the ceiling of the each and every piece was meant to
of his own artistic narrative. “i think
great hall and is labeled, simply, “sky.”
fit in the overall design. “i overthink most artists look at what they do as a

of this final piece, Jolley says, “With it,” admits Jolley—“or as one of my solid personal continuum. People from
the discontinuity of the mezzanine stair- friends put it, i pre-worry!” the sys- the outside may look at it and not see

well, i needed something that would tie tem worked, well, however, and there that continuum until 15 or 20 years

the two sides together in a symbolic and were few breakages. “i broke a few later—and then they go, yes, that makes
aesthetic way.” he solved this final puz- pieces myself,” says Jolley.
complete sense,” he says.

zle by creating “sky” in two parts: “the some of the largest pieces had to be as for how he feels about the project,
metaphysical part of the sky and then
lifted in by crane, and despite careful Jolley simply laughs. “i feel tremen-

the universe part of the sky.” for Jolley, measuring, some doors and windows dously lucky that i had the opportunity
the two parts have different but comple- had to be removed in order to bring all to be able to work on such an ambitious

mentary meanings. “the metaphysical of the individual pieces of the installa- project—and for having patrons who

part of the sky relates to the transfer from tion into the great hall. in the end, the made that possible,” he says. he hopes
the earth to—wherever we go. and the installation came close to Jolley’s self- that his piece will help put knoxville

universe relates to the constellations and imposed timeline of three months.
on the artistic map, adding to the city’s
the sense of wonder we feel as we look looking back, there is little that Jol- reputation for academics, sports, and

up at the night sky,” he says.
ley would change about the five-year performance art. as for what he’ll do

process. “for myself, as an artist, i next, he says simply, “hopefully there
Completing a Masterpiece
think that you feel confident in your will be other good things. like with

after spending five years creating vision. is it possible to edit and change everything else, when you get closure
each individual piece of Cycle of Life, things? Yes. but i think as you become on a big project, there’s a big exhale—

Jolley faced one last challenge: that mature in your aesthetic vision, you and then you start trying to change,

of actually installing the piece in the have an extreme intuitive confidence.” evolve, and get ready to progress along
space it was designed to inhabit.
he adds ruefully, however, that “one to the future.”

“there are a lot of multi-unit of the castors ran over my foot when
pieces—so there are 300 of this com- we were installing. i don’t think i’d do Sarah H. Clark
is the former managing editor of Cityview.
ponent, 900 of that component, and
that part again.”
She now makes her home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

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cityviewmag.com july august 2014