"Raven: Sun Thief" Main Entry Windows at Residence Hall Complex University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska 31.75' x 8.83' overall (9.68 x 2.7m) The design for this commission was inspired by native Athabaskan myths about Raven's theft of sunlight from the spiritworld. Gray, fluttering 'feathers' symbolize Raven, while amber opal bands of 'stolen sunlight' are tugged outward. Concentric arcs around the central 'Sun/Moon' recall the paths traced by stars wheeling around Polaris. A night sky etched from a dark blue on clear flashed glass acknowledges the extreme variation of day and night at this latitude.
The disparity of scale and shape between the slit windows in the doors and the large sidelights that separate them could have made this a disjointed design. The use of a perimeter border and horizontal band that correspond to uneven window bottoms and opaque divisions at door pulls helps to unify the composition. The opal amber bands that meander through the design are scaled to be the same width as the slit windows to further soften the discrepancies between the two window shapes. National Design Competition sponsored by Alaska State Council on the Arts