About the Project

With wheeled cutters and glass pieces in hand, artist Dana K. Leahy began work on what would be the first mosaic in the Project 66 series in the spring of 2006. Fifteen years later, she has completed 35 pieces — which represent 33 books of the Bible — ranging in size from 48 x 36 inches to 24 x 21 inches. Halfway through the project, she remains committed to finishing all 66 pieces.

After working with many different media over the years and longing to experience the Bible more deeply and creatively, Dana decided to focus almost exclusively on creating biblical mosaics via the combination of stained glass mosaics and carved, stained wood art. With little more than a passion for liturgical or ritual art, a single book about glass mosaics, a pair of wheeled glass cutters and one mosaic project under her belt, she embarked on what she knew would be a decades-long effort to create one-of-a-kind pieces of art to reflect each book of the Bible.

A member of Windsor Heights Lutheran Church in Des Moines, Iowa, Dana began by producing a mosaic of the book of Genesis. However, her production schedule has not followed the order in which the books appear in the Bible. Instead, she has chosen to develop and create mosaics based on inspiration, a moving sermon or whatever book of the Bible her women’s study group may be focusing on at the time. After choosing a book of the Bible, Dana reads, outlines and takes notes from that particular book, develops thumbnail and/or color sketches and then transfers the design onto white acrylic-coated particle board. She then cuts and clues each piece of glass to the board until the mosaic is finished.

After allowing the adhesive to dry for several days, she grouts the piece and seals it approximately 24 hours later. With the help of a computer program, Dana formats the chosen snippets of scripture to fit the space and then traces the scripture and pictorial icons on the wood board on which the mosaic will be mounted or married. She then carves the words and images into the wood with a Dremel rotary tool. She then sands the board, applies water-based stain, outlines the words and images with a paint pen (or on several pieces, she’s chosen to burn the words and images into the wood), and then she applies three coats of lacquer to the finished board. The two separate pieces are then taken to a frame shop where a professional frames the mosaic and mounts it on the wooden backdrop using up to 12 screws to secure one piece to the other.

Ultimately, Dana hopes to secure one sponsor who not only will serve as the owner/curator of the entire series, but one who might also invest in its exhibition in various venues. At present, she focuses on one mosaic… one program presentation… one exhibit at a time, hoping that each effort will bring her closer to discerning the fate and destination of this body of work. Eventually, Dana envisions a permanent home for Project 66 in an institution that values liturgical or sacred art, such as a college, university, church or corporation.

Each mosaic and its companion backdrop (combined) take approximately 200 to 300 hours to design, create and complete. Rather than only using traditional mosaic glass squares, Dana cuts the majority of the glass she uses with a pair of wheeled glass cutters from sheets of stained glass that measure 12 inches square. In this way, Dana has many more options of glass from which to choose and is able to reinforce visual concepts more creatively and effectively through a wider variety of colors and textures.

Dana prizes the luminous qualities of the glass, and the reason she mounts each mosaic on either pine or aspen wood isn’t only because it’s soft and easy to carve, but also since the tree of life, death and resurrection are woven symbolically throughout the Bible. Dana believes that wood is not only an appropriate aesthetic choice but a relevant one as well. Each piece weighs between 10 and 55 pounds.

In addition to scriptural references and pictorial icons, each mosaic backdrop features the name of the book of the Bible in two different languages. Since the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, these pieces feature the name of the book of the Bible in Hebrew and English. Since the New Testament was originally written in Greek, these pieces feature both the Greek and English translations of the book.

Carved into the back of each piece are the particulars. More important than the name and number of each piece or even the artist’s signature, are the words carved immediately below: “Soli Deo Gloria,” which translated from Latin means “To God Alone Be The Glory.” Upon completing each piece, it’s this pledge that falls from the lips of the artist and continues to echo in her mind as she begins the next mosaic.