Colleen Williams: The idea came from our PR (Public Relations) Committee, who were looking for something other than the featured artist window exhibit, which had run for a number of years.

How do you design the exhibits?

            Colleen Williams: Each month it starts with a sketch.  I give myself a couple of days to think about the items we have.  I start with a rough sketch, trying to get some balance between the items, and then we figure out from there.  Then we just start playing around with the props to see what works.  We re-use the pedestals, covering them with painted cloth covers, and use hand-made MDF (medium-density fiberboard) easels. 

It generally takes about five to six hours prep time, and then two to four hours to install the exhibits.

Nestor Valdes: I build the pedestals out of MDF.  We decided to come up with something interesting and inexpensive for the props, so we decided to use recycled cans as bases.  Colleen sews the banners.  This month, she came up with the idea of birch bark as a backdrop for the “black-and-white” color theme.  The background allows you to look through it, and also shows movement.

Colleen Williams: For this month, we knew we would have to incorporate Joe Chirchirillo's large wooden fish, which we put up early. So we put it on the wall, but we still wanted you to see it through the window, however, which is why we have a see-through backdrop.

How have our visitors reacted to the color-themed window exhibits?

Colleen Williams: I have heard from other Guild members that people have been stopping by, and looking in to see what’s there.  Cyndi [Saint] has heard feedback specifically from a visitor who notices the windows, and told her that she looks forward to seeing what comes up every month.

How has seeing the color-themed exhibits changed how you think about color?

Colleen Williams: I like -- I love -- color.  I have 20 wall colors in my loft, so it was an easy extension for me.

Judy Kniffin: At first I thought it was a crazy idea, but I realized that different people are attracted to certain color categories, and that these window displays bring them in when their color is represented.  So color draws them in when they would not otherwise come in. 

I’ve always been aware that color is very attractive to people, but I’ve never separated those colors out, and thought of them individually.