Encounters with Greatness - Sol Lewitt

Sol Lewitt's colorful sculptures on the roof at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2005)

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Several years ago, as a recent graduate from the arts program at Trinity College, I was invited to participate in a special project lead by artist, (the now late) Sol Lewitt and his assistants. The project was to implement one of Sol Lewitt's drawings into the new student center on Trinity's campus in Hartford, Connecticut.

I was part of a team of art students ready to carry out the project. Above are the plans for the space that were sent over by the artist. Mr. Lewitt later came to the site at Trinity to meet all of us and show us in person  how to re-create his design. There was scaffolding, cans of paint with Lewitt's usual bright colors, brushes of all shapes and sizes, and the sketches  you see here. Having plans to travel to Italy for a friend's wedding, I was not able to stay for the entire project. Upon my return from Italy, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to find a package from the Lewitt studio with an original gouache by the artist inside as a thank you gift for my help. I don't keep it with me, but someday, I hope to enjoy it in a real house.

Several months later, we were all invited back to Trinity and honored along with the dedication of the completed space. Trinity's art department compiled a special binder of photographs for each of us. The final project also made headlines in the alumni magazine.

A photographer captured me taking in the finished product at the dedication (1998).