Obama Gives A Gift Of Art To Summiteers

Art, it turns out, wasn't just for ladies at the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh last week, which I've written about here and here. President Obama decided to give a gift of art to the world leaders in attendance. Inspired by an exhibition at the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, where the Obamas held a reception on Thursday night at the start of the summit, it's the glass tree at right, made by Frabel Studio.

Frabel Studio, the Atlanta home of flamework glass artist Hans Godo Frabel, posted this description on its website:

...all of the Tree's leaves point upward symbolizing success and cooperation; the Tree's pinnacle shape symbolizes unity and movement towards a common goal; trees are a symbol of strength, wisdom and endurance; glass, a beautiful yet fragile material, symbolizes the fragility of freedom, liberty and our environment; and beneath the Tree's black wooden base is a 1/2" stainless steel plate representing Pittsburgh's former steel industry that is moving to new, environmentally-friendly products...

Well, ok, if that's what you say. The Obamas, btw, were presented with a glass bowl and some glass frogs by Frabel, a gift from the Conservatory, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The Phipps exhibit is called Life in the Gardens, and includes these two works, Glass Wavy Bowl (below) and Longfellow Gravity (right):

Photo Credit: Courtesy Frabel Glass Art Studio and Gallery