Restroom Tiles - Norman Courtney

Where is it?

Baggage Claim Restrooms

The tiles form entry treatments, treatments above the mirrors, and mirror surrounds.

About the Art

The tiles feature distinctive patterns and shapes associated with water elements and air travel. Etched, translucent – but obscuring – glass panels allow light and shadow patterns to be introduced. The artist employed the technique of custom molding to produce subtly textured surfaces that capture and amplify light in different ways throughout the day.

"I feel that the most successful public artworks are ones which evolve from the interaction and exploration with the individuals who will be part of the building's final outcome." – Norman Courtney

The Details

Artist

Norman Courtney

Date

2000

Medium

Cast tiles (glass, metal, concrete)

Dimensions

A total of over 140 tiles

Did you know?

Norman Courtney is more interested in working with the unpredictable nature of light and shadows than he is in manipulating color. Because of this, his cast glass tiles are often clear and backed with mirror.

About the Artist

Distinctive figurative or stylized imagery that gives the viewer an immediate sense of place is artist Norman Courtney's trademark. His pieces are designed to maximize the optical highlights and shadows unique to the medium, creating dramatic spatial effects while adding another visual dimension when observed from different vantage points.

Information courtesy of the artist

Short Bio

Norman has created pieces for public and private commissions for over two decades, and he continues to encourage relationships between the viewer and their environment through his cast glass applications. As an innovator in cast glass art, Norman has taught at the Pilchuck Glass School for fifteen summers and founded the Glass Department at the Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle.

Similar Artwork

Work by Norman Courtney

- Waters of Justice: a terrazzo and cast glass piece at the Public Safety Complex in Edmonds, Washington.

- Nagare: cast glass and silver leaf tiles act as tessellations to form a piece that honors the farming history of Kent for the Centennial Center at the city hall.

At the Airport

Interested in seeing another artist's take on restroom tiles? Visit the next set of restrooms in the Baggage Claim to see Steve Gardner’s A Washington Alphabet. Follow the STQRY link in the Connected Stories section.

Restroom Tiles - Norman Courtney

Norman Courtney's restroom tiles draw a parallel between the abundance of water and airplanes in the Pacific Northwest.