Community volunteers help install glass panels in Waupaca's newest art project in Rotary Park. May 15, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
WAUPACA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Waupaca community members put the finishing touches Thursday on the city’s newest project at Rotary Park.
“Shine Community Art Project” is the result of a joint effort between the Waupaca Community Art Board and Waupaca Foundry.
The piece includes over 150 glass panels within the four eight-foot boards. Each one was designed by members of the Waupaca community, who helped install them.
Beverly Crane with the Waupaca Community Arts Board spoke about the process.
“We hired a stained glass artist, and we did 14 community workshops so people in the community could help make glass tiles,” she said.
Patricia Reckrey was one of the tilemakers.
“Truthfully, I couldn’t tell which one was mine after all that time,” she joked. “But the point is that, individually that doesn’t matter much. It’s just a beautiful art piece that we’ve created together.”
The castings were created by Waupaca Foundry. According to Tooling Engineering Manager Eli Kallio, they were done using a unique process.
“All of those castings were made, essentially through additive manufacturing, so they were 3D printed cores that we assembled and then we poured, and we poured them off-line,” Kallio explained. “There’s a lot of work in the design aspect, assembling all those and pouring them, so it’s neat to see them come together.”
Waupaca Parks and Recreation Director Laura Colbert said she’s already thinking ahead on how to use the new piece.
“What we’re going to do is, obviously just have this open to the public,” she said. “When you stand in the middle and see that sun shine through, it’s really gorgeous. We’re going to really try to have as much programming down here as possible.”
And Kallio is glad Waupaca Foundry was able to lend a hand in the project.
“It’s a blessing and a huge thing when you have large corporations and companies working with their small communities, doing things like that to help make Waupaca what it is,” Kallio said.
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