Henry Richardson

Richardson began as a realist painter. He became certified in concrete and steel in order to walk the beams on building sites, and these became the subjects of his early paintings. He became familiar with building materials, including concrete and glass, and together with his geology background, began to explore the possibilities of plate glass as an artistic medium. Richardson treats glass as a transparent stone, using a hammer and chisel to shape it. He has developed a method of bonding the layers together with a polymer silicate and UV light. The layers are then sculpted into large abstract spheres, columns and spirals which appear "ethereal" and light despite their weight. As the work evolved, Richardson began adding color, mixing his own pigments and infusing them into the glass. Richardson was commissioned to design the memorial to the Connecticut victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His work may also be found in numerous public and private collections. In 2012, he was named the Artist of the Year by the Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA) Stars of Design Awards. • Illustration — Reflections on Unity is the first public art installation at Asheville Art Museum, NC

Richardson conceived the Connecticut 9/11 memorial in Danbury as a twelve-foot glass column. The void within evokes the towers that no longer stand. The names of the 152 Connecticut victims are engraved on a sheet of glass that rises through the void. The memorial was dedicated on September 11, 2004.