Comments on: On Again; Off Again: DH Hill Library’s ‘Color Wall’

By: sueli cavendish

sueli cavendish — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:23:57 +0000

And yes, I was there when the first colorful panel was installed!

By: sueli cavendish

sueli cavendish — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:22:26 +0000

I used to work at d. h. hill from 1971-1974 and would like to get in touch with employees who were my friends such as linda osterman (who changed her name after remarrying)phyllis calhoun, mr. keener, melba, and a number of other people whose names I can’t remember now. Is there a service or a link in this site that would help?
Many thanks

By: Daniel E.

Daniel E. — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:46:06 +0000

I’m at student at state and often have wondered bout the strange black panels in the Library. I assumed it was some piece of art gone bad, like Harrelson Hall. I was impressed with the photos and the video on the colorwall.org. I’d love to see it functioning again.

By: Janice Cox McAninch

Janice Cox McAninch — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:21:34 +0000

Nancy & Wayne Poole just advised me about the projected Restoration of the Color Wall in the D H Hill Library, which is very exciting.
My Uncle Joe Cox took me to see the Color Wall one evening, he explained that there is also an interesting phenomenon between the lighted areas effecting the color in the cast shadows.
My husband and I will definitely want to help with this project. Please keep us advised.

By: Nabs K. Lately

Nabs K. Lately — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:40:58 +0000

I would gladly contribute to restore the Joe Cox piece, however an agreement needs to be established with D.H. Hill to NEVER push the rolling book carts in front of this artwork again. That was an insult to its creator. It is beautiful when it is turned on. Joe Cox also designed a nice metal wall relief for the bank directly across the street from the old Darryl’s (which is now Red, Hot & Blue). The bank bricked over it. We should get it restored too.

By: Al Bredenberg

Al Bredenberg — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:34:01 +0000

My girlfriend Deborah and I visited Joe and Betsy Cox in their home on Trailwood Drive in about 1969. Joe demonstrated a “light organ” as he called it. I wonder if the light organ was kind of a design prototype for the color walls he did. As I recall, the device had a keyboard and would cast colors on the wall as you played it. Joe played a duet with Deborah — he played the light organ, and she played a harpsichord that Joe had built. Joe and Betsy were friends of my parents, Paul and Gladys Bredenberg. The Coxes were wonderful people, and they and their weimaraner dogs are some of my earliest and most vivid memories of adults. Joe gave me guitar lessons and used one of my kid-drawings in a TV show he did when I was about five or six. Here in my house I have one of his paintings, which I treasure.

By: Michael Gilbert

Michael Gilbert — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:29:02 +0000

I’ll chip in for the cause. In 1975 I took a class called “Design for Non-design Majors” (or something close to that). Prof. Cox guest lectured one of the classes. He brought in a small portable contraption with dimmers controlling several small spot lights. He used it to demonstrate how different colors mix. Quite memorable.

By: Karen Ciccone

Karen Ciccone — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:52:23 +0000

Re. the light mural in the ceiling of the SunTrust (formerly CCB) building in downtown Durham, there is serious interest in restoring that piece, as well. Greenfire owns the building and is currently investigating that possibility.

I believe the light mural in Lumberton is no longer extant.

By: Paxton

Paxton — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:38:13 +0000

I’ll throw some clams in for it. It should be done as a contribution ot the h-boro st renovations. Hopefully, public art will show its face in a few more spots during the rehab project.

Let’s not forget the great light sculpture around back in the foyer of the old library (now the special collections wing).

By: DPK

DPK — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:48:27 +0000

I’d be willing to chip in.