CSUSB professor and students create striking glass chandelier for new Performing Arts Center

Visitors entering Ellen and Stan Weisser Foyer of Cal State San Bernardino’s new Performing Arts Center are greeted by a striking glass chandelier suspended in a skylight-like lightwell just outside the box office. The installation, composed of six glowing pendants layered with colored glass, shifts subtly throughout the evening as light passes through its translucent forms.

What many may not realize at first glance is that the chandelier was conceived and created by members of the CSUSB community itself. The piece was designed by internationally recognized glass artist and chair of CSUSB’s Department of Art and Design, Katherine Gray, who was also an evaluator on Netflix’s glassblowing reality show, “Blown Away.”

“When the fixture is off, you only get a hint of that color,” said Gray. “But when the lights are on, the color really emerges and looks pretty magical.”

Gray designed the piece to complement the architecture of the Performing Arts Center while also reflecting the spirit of artistic growth that takes place on a university campus. The egg-like forms, she explained, carry a deeper symbolism connected to the student experience.

“Our students are kind of like eggs here, soaking up knowledge and experience, and eventually they crack open and become fully realized artists,” she said.

The idea for the chandelier emerged during early conversations about the new Performing Arts Center.

“We were in meetings talking about public art in the building, and my colleague Alison Ragguette saw the architectural rendering of the lobby,” Gray said. “It had a generic chandelier in the space, and she said, ‘You should propose something for that.’ And I thought, you’re right — I should.”

Turning the concept into reality required months of planning, experimentation and collaboration. Gray enlisted the help of three CSUSB art students — Mayra Zambrano, Adrian Chacon and Alessandro Corsaro — who assisted throughout the project’s development and installation.

“When you’re working on a project this size, you need a lot of people,” Gray said. “The students were incredibly helpful throughout the entire process.”

All three students earned their Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees from CSUSB in 2024, and Corsaro is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts at the university. They helped test color combinations, develop small-scale prototypes and assist with the fabrication and installation of the glass fixtures.

To create the large-scale glass components, the team traveled to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Wash., where they worked with experienced glassblowers in a professional hot shop. The students assisted with everything from preparing materials to supporting the fabrication of the molded glass forms.

The finished installation consists of six pendants, each weighing approximately 65 pounds once assembled. The largest glass forms measure nearly two feet in height and require careful handling throughout the production and installation processes.

Zambrano, Chacon and Corsaro remained involved throughout the project’s final stages, helping prepare the glass pieces and assisting with the installation once the Performing Arts Center was completed. Today, their names appear alongside Gray’s on a plaque recognizing their contributions.

Reflecting on the project during the Performing Arts Center’s ribbon cutting on March 4, Corsaro shared his excitement about seeing the work unveiled to the campus community.

“I’m super excited to see everyone’s reaction,” he said. “We’ve worked so hard on fabricating it, installing it, and it took some time, but now it’s finally here. It’s going to be really awesome to see."

For the students involved, the experience offered a rare opportunity to contribute to a permanent public artwork while working alongside professional artists.

“I think they realized how transferable their skills are,” Gray said. “They were working with professional glassblowers and quickly saw that the abilities they developed here at CSUSB translate into real-world projects.”

For Gray, who has taught at CSUSB since 2002 and now serves as chair of the Department of Art and Design, the chandelier represents both a personal milestone and a tribute to the university community.

“I hope people realize what incredible talent and resources we have here on campus — not just among the faculty, but among our students as well,” she said.

Gray also believes projects like this highlight the importance of the arts in everyday life.

“Imagine if music disappeared, if there were no theater, no movies or art to look at,” she said. “Life would be pretty miserable. The arts really make life worth living.”

View a time-lapse of the chandelier installation below: