Lamplighter School

Third-grade students at Lamplighter, members of the Class of 2020, embarked on a unique artistic journey to design what would become their permanent outdoor glass sculpture garden. Working with their art teacher, Pam O’Krent, students first created prototypes using cellophane, exploring the interplay of transparent and opaque color.

The following year, Carlyn joined the project as Artist in Residence. During an immersive studio day, students worked in pairs to arrange glass shards onto sheets of glass, guided by the mock-ups they had developed the year prior. They explored concepts of layering, overlap, negative space, and embellishment using crushed colored glass known as frit.

The panels were then returned to the studio, where students were invited to experience the glassblowing process and see their designs placed into the kiln to be fused. Lamplighter alumnus and Dallas Glass Art student Jordan Johnson assisted with demonstrations, helping guide the students as they created an additional glass piece alongside the Dallas Glass Art team.

The dedication ceremony for the installation was deeply meaningful. After remarks from Dr. Joan Buchanan Hill, Head of School, Carlyn shared, “The imagination you brought to developing these panels, and the way you worked together as a community, created something truly special. The gift Lamplighter has given me is the value of community and the courage to use my imagination.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Lamplighter Art Teacher Lizzie Bumpas presented Carlyn Ray ’92 with a thank-you card created by the Lamplighter seniors, marking a full-circle moment for the project.