TriMet Orange Line Mosaic Columns

Artist Lynn Basa won the commission for shelter mosaic columns along TriMet’s Orange line in Portland, Oregon, and hired Bullseye Studio to translate her encaustic paintings into glass artworks. The completed project consisted of 1600 SF of mosaic on 118 columns. Bullseye Studio collaborated with Mosaika, TriMet, and Bullseye Glass Co. to realize the work.

The glass artwork placed on the shelter columns derive from paintings by Basa that represent the nine station neighborhoods and their histories. The goal of this fabrication project was to translate these paintings into mosaics with relevance to the neighborhoods and the general public.The colors chosen and the application methods used have significance to the overall design, embodying the community and inviting reflection by the passing light rail riders and those waiting at the stations.

Bullseye Studio collaborated with Bullseye Glass Co.’s factory to produce custom sheets of colored glass that captured the palette and mark-making of the paintings. The special production glass was then cut and assembled by the glass fabrication team. Bullseye Studio’s ability to execute this public project successfully in mosaic was made possible by the training and consultation of Mosaika.

Glass Mosaics: Bringing a New Look to MAX Shelters