Fireplace Tour
A Burning Desire for Knowledge
Fireplace Etchings by Larry Kirkland
The heart of the Campus Center is the large granite fireplace located in the Grand Hall. The Fireplace was designed by Washington DC based artist Larry Kirkland and inspired by Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ's educational mission of life-long learning. Each etching found on the Fireplace has a meaning that relates to the curriculum, community and campus. There are a total of twenty-three etchings ranging from the osprey, the University's official mascot to the artist's signature, his own heartbeat.
Moon
Larry Kirkland developed the etching of the moon from the perspective of Johannes
Hevelius, a Polish astronomer who became famous after his observations of the moon
were published in 1647.
Descartes' Eye
French philosopher Rene Descartes made significant contributions to the natural sciences
and mathematics. This etching is of an eye taken from Descartes 1637 book.
Red Knot & Migratory Route
A man of many talents, Michelangelo painted sibyls--prophetic women of the Classical
world--on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Now we can enjoy a similar etching on Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ's
fireplace.
Michelangelo's Sibyl
A man of many talents, Michelangelo painted sibyls--prophetic women of the Classical
world--on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Now we can enjoy a similar etching on Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ's
fireplace.
Heartbeat
If you ask fireplace-etching artist Larry Kirkland "How did you sign the fireplace,"
he will answer, "with my heart." The heartbeat that is etched onto the fireplace is
Larry's own heartbeat.
DNA Double Helix
The spiraling double helix reaches skyward and extends to the top of our fireplace.
The helix represents our School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the School
of Health Sciences.
Pinecone
Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ's Galloway campus is situated in the Pinelands National Reserve. The pine
cone is the quintessential symbol of our natural setting along the woods and waterways
of the pinelands.
NJ Coastline
Standing in front of the fireplace, look down at the map of southern New Jersey. Can
you locate Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ?
BuckyBall
A BuckyBall is a particle of 60 carbon atoms arranged as a hollow ball that resembles
a soccer ball. BuckyBall is named after American architect Buckminster Fuller who
designed geodesic domes.
Osprey
The osprey, one of New Jersey's largest raptors, can be spotted soaring over Lake
Fred prowling for fish. The Osprey is the College's official mascot.
Supply & Demand Curve
This etching of a supply and demand curve embodies the investigative initiatives initiated
by the School of Business and the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Heartbeat
If you ask fireplace-etching artist Larry Kirkland "How did you sign the fireplace,"
he will answer, "with my heart." The heartbeat that is etched onto the fireplace is
Larry's own heartbeat.
Silicon
Silicon, which second to oxygen is the most abundant element found in the Earth's
crust, is the primary material used in the composition of the solar panels on campus.
Prime Spiral
Mathematics can reveal surprising patterns and lead to unpredicted discoveries. Mathematician
Stanislaw Ulam made this discovery in 1963 while doodling at a scientific conference.
Mandelbrot Fractal
A branch of broccoli is a miniature version of the larger bunch. It serves as an example
of a fractal. This etching demonstrates the intriguing repetitive nature of fractals.
Map of the Social Network
Have you ever tried to trace your social network? "lmagine yourself as one of the
dots," said etching artist Larry Kirkland. Each surrounding dot is a friend or family
member.
Rings
Venn diagrams are normally comprised of overlapping circles. The interior of the circle
symbolically represents the elements of the set, while the exterior represents elements
which are not members of the set.
Platonic Solids
Euclid, the Father of Geometry, described the platonic solids in his series of thirteen
written works known collectively as the Elements.
Michelangelo's Sibyl
A man of many talents, Michelangelo painted sibyls--prophetic women of the Classical
world--on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Now we can enjoy a similar etching on Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ's
fireplace.
Family Tree
The family tree might inspire you to define family or it may persuade you to research
your own family ancestry. The family tree etching can be interpreted as a map to a
common ancestor.
Maze
The Triple Spiral Maze was first discovered at a prehistoric site in Ireland. It is
one of the oldest maze patterns ever discovered, although others have been found throughout
Europe.
Heartbeat
If you ask fireplace-etching artist Larry Kirkland "How did you sign the fireplace,"
he will answer, "with my heart." The heartbeat that is etched onto the fireplace is
Larry's own heartbeat.
Heart
The Campus Center is the heart of Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ.
Horseshoe Crab
Horseshoe crabs are "living fossils" that prowled shallow ocean waters long before
the arrival of dinosaurs. The eggs of horseshoe crabs sustain Red Knots during their
annual migration.
Social Network
Have you ever tried to trace your social network? lmagine yourself as one of the dots,"
explained Larry Kirkland. Each of the dots is a friend or family member.
