sprite writes
broodings from the burrow

December 13, 2018


virtual advent tour 2018: day 13
posted by soe 6:05 am

Virtual Advent Tour 2018, hosted by spritewrites.net.></center></p>
<p>Today is Dec. 13, St. Lucia’s Day, the Swedish Festival of Light. I don’t have anything Scandinavian (or German) to share with you today, and I lack a flaming wreath headdress to make an homage. (I so wanted to be Swedish on this day when I was growing up. I thought it was the coolest custom.)</p>
<p>But I do have light. When I was in Georgetown last week snapping pictures of gingerbread houses, I was reminded that Glow is going on. This is the fifth year for the area light art installation, and this year had 11 official installations from 16 artists. I thought I’d share them with you. Come stroll along with Rudi and me.</p>
<p>Let’s start where we began tonight, on Book Hill, adjacent to the Georgetown branch library. Here, you’ll find Johnny Dukovich and Klagsbrun Studios’ <em>Rainbow Friends</em>.</p>
<p><center><a href=Rainbow Friends

Rainbow Friends

Rainbow Friends

Further down the hill, was Faces and Places, by Robin Bell, a projection of geometrical images, people, and places (the video I took is taking forever to load, so just pretend you see it and nod thoughtfully).

Once you reach M Street, which is the main tourist shopping drag in Georgetown, head west to the Francis Scott Key Park. Here you’ll find the most fun installation, Social Sparkles, by Toer. It’s installed in the arbor around the Christmas tree, and it’s comprised of motion-activated pendant LEDs. Everyone who came by totally got into running back and forth in this one. (This, too, would benefit from a video that’s stuck in the ether somewhere.)

Social Sparkles

On the rooftops along M, you’ll find Run Beyond, by Angelo Bonello. (Cue sad trombone sound for missing video. Just know that the second shot shows all the steps of what amounts to a stop animation of someone doing parkour.)

Run beyond, Street Level

Run Beyond

Duck down the entrance to Cady’s Alley, a short cobbled alleyway south of M. There you’ll find the second Robin Bell installation, Light (more missing video).

In a pedestrian walkway between the Georgetown Mall and Dean and Deluca, you’ll find this playful Entre Les Rangs, by Kanva Architecture Production, which the artists suggested was intended to call to mind Montreal’s wheat fields.

Entre Les Rangs

Along the canal is the terribly named Artistic Lighting, by Elizabeth Coco. The colors change as time goes on.

Artistic Lighting

Rhizome, by Tom and Lien Dekyvere, installed in front of Grace Church also changes color. And has music to accompany it. Just like the missing videos, apparently the internet is also eating panoramic shots…)

(On Friday, when I was first here, they were having a event to promote Glow and holiday shopping, that included a firepit with s’more making, free food and drink samples from local restaurants, and music.)

Georgetown Fire Pit

Down on the waterfront are two installations. The first, Prismatic by Hou de Sousa, is the most Instagrammable piece. I also suspect it will appeal to my knitting readers, since it, too, shows what can be made with sticks and string. (It also matches the Kennedy Center, which can be seen in the background further down the river.)

Rudi at Prismatic

Prismatic

Prismatic

Prismatic and the Kennedy Center

The second installation is Today I Love You by Massimo Uberti and Marco Pillice.

Today I Love You

Finally, the last installation, the furthest east of the group, is also, I thought, the weirdest. It’s Twilight Antiques and Thrift by Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky, a little glass “shop” that will not be open until the final night of the show, when, I assume, they’d like to sell off all the stuff inside. I thought it was best seen from afar.

Twilight Antiques and Thrift

Thanks for strolling (and scrolling) through Glow with Rudi and me, and apologies for the technology fail. I’ll see if the missing items show up at Flickr later on and add them in if they do. See you back here tomorrow.

Category: christmas/holiday season. There is/are 4 Comments.



I LOVE this post. So many lights. SO much joy in the darkest time of year. THanks!!!

Comment by kathy b 12.13.18 @ 11:18 am

Sorry the video was fighting with you, but the photos are lovely!

Comment by Karen 12.13.18 @ 5:25 pm

What a wonderful town DC is! It would never have occured to me to want to visit Washington before, but all the little festivals and events and nooks and crannies look so cool. You are a great tourist ambassador.

Comment by raidergirl3 12.15.18 @ 9:04 pm

Beautiful light decorations!

Comment by Jo Kay 12.16.18 @ 11:31 am