Artwork Detail

Visitors to the administrative headquarters for Los Angeles County, the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, are welcomed by a glass artwork by artist Cha-Rie Tang. Tang illustrates, in her words, “the variety of landscapes, from the mountains to the ocean, from the desert to the valley,” and depicts how, “people from all over the world with diverse cultures set roots here [in Los Angeles], pursuing individual dreams, sharing common interests and working for the public good.” The ideas are organized in the artwork. People are illustrated on the top line; the environment is depicted on the second line and the shoreline below. The translucent glass artwork spans the length behind the reception desk. The County of Los Angeles is one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse communities in the world, encompassing over 4, 000 square miles and over 10 million residents. Cha-Rie Tang believes that “This is a great opportunity to celebrate joyful diversity in a dignified and inspiring sort of way.” This artwork was conserved in 2015.

Cha-Rie graduated from MIT Architecture Dept. in 1973. After a master's degree from University of Colorado, arrived in Pasadena and fell in love with the architecture, culture, flora and fauna of Los Angeles. She is a registered architect, presently mainly doing residential remodels. In the past 10 years Cha-Rie has become an expert Craftsman tile maker and sculptor of relief wall murals. She has one of the largest collections of Batchelder tile molds, which she slip casts, glazes with her own formulation and produces tiles of exceptional rich textures. Her public art and large architectural installations include an installation at the LA Metro station in Monrovia and her “Fairy Tale” glass pictures and relief tiles have been installed in the new LA City Exposition Park Branch Library. To learn more, visit http://www.pasadenacraftsmantile.com.