La luz frondosa del bosque

La luz frondosa del bosque
Artist Statement by Zachary Nafziger ‘94

I created this idea of a light in the darkness made up of
thousands of colorful glass circles, plus the spaces in-between
them, to create a super-saturated and playful-yet-deep, dark
forest scene. The Forest’s Leafy Light was inspired by a
collection of themes: support; playfulness; connectivity and
contrast; the importance of nature, growth, and creation;
being both lost and found; light and hope; the values and
mission of Eastern Mennonite School; and how all of these
can connect to Chris Mast.

The Forest’s Leafy Light is meant to be a visual conversation
piece for The Gathering Space. So many times, we keep things
inside that need to be spoken about. Sometimes that speaking
helps us, but sometimes it helps someone else who is secretly
going through similar events. It’s possible to need the light
and be a light at the same time.

The Forest’s Leafy Light came from that viewpoint of hope in a
time of need. Its design is an abstract view of bright light
filtering through a clearing in a dense forest using a variety of
hand-cut circle sizes and shapes in more than fifty colors and
textures of art glass to create streaming light and shadows.
The Forest’s Leafy Light was designed and created by Zachary
Nafziger of znstainedglass in 2024-2025. The custom steel and
local ash frame was created by Zeke Trainum.

The Story Behind the Art
Written by EMES Teacher Lynette Good ‘84 Mast

My husband Chris Mast ‘84 really didn’t like his full name.
“Christopher Robin” didn’t sit well during the awkward middle
school years or even as a business owner later on in life. However,
his mom did. She still cherishes the ideals of Winnie the Pooh as a
classic and fanciful tale. Life was meant to be “easy, breezy and
bother-free,” in A. A. Milne’s words.

But even without ever explicitly naming it, Chris lived his life
seeking time in the “Hundred Acre Wood,” where whimsical play
and day-dreaming were commonplace and even demanded, where
dear friends and strangers connected in simple and imaginative
ways and where troubles became lost while relishing in the miracles
of nature. He knew we belonged in those spaces often, every day.

It is with that passion that Chris contributed to Eastern Mennonite
Elementary School (EMES) as it began. He knew how to bring people
to the table, encourage them in what they knew best and were most
enthusiastic about, to collaborate for a common cause. He dreamed
of creating a space for his children and others to simply be children,
free to thrive in a rich, supportive environment.

Chris was inspired by Zac’s artistry and insight and would have
delighted in his work. It is my hope that The Forest’s Leafy Light
serves as a lens for everyone who encounters it, inspiring them to
pause, within the shifting and tumult of the world, and be
reminded of the joy in being a radically invitational and safe place
for children to grow in the Light.