‘Turn Teal’ wraps up Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month with Chihuly inspired art piece

This year she took inspiration from American glass sculptor Dale Chihuly, who is known for his large scale sculptures. Lentz saw these magical pieces in person when she visited the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

 

“His work fills you with emotion,” Lentz shared. “I love that about art. It meets you where you are.”

 

Lentz missed having more students involved. She did have help from Julia Ferrell, a resident of Natchitoches and a member of LSMSA’s Class of 2022. The two created a hanging sculpture with spirals and flowers bursting from its center. The only materials used besides the chicken wire for the sculpture’s base were a plethora of water bottles that Lentz started collecting in March. She spray painted them teal and she and Ferrell carefully cut each bottle into differing shapes. Some became flowers while others became long, flowing streamers. 

 

“I chose to use plastic to create this piece of art because I also wanted to bring awareness to the need to recycle, reuse, and reduce,” said Lentz. “People around the world find creative ways to repurpose what some consider trash, so to see this piece come together has been inspiring and astonishing. It’s certainly raised my own awareness of how much waste we create."

 

The sculpture, along with Lentz’s teal ribbons decorated LSMSA’s campus during the last week of September.

 

Lentz leads the charge on Ovarian Cancer awareness each September in memory of her mother, Sue Gregory Coleman, who lost her battle with ovarian cancer in 2012.

 

For more information on Turn Teal Natchitoches, visit the group’s Facebook page at facebook.com/turntealnatchitoches or email Lentz at llentz@lsmsa.edu.