History of Wholeo, the Stained Glass Dome, Text and Graphics Path
What is it? How did it come to be?
Where is it going?
As you read, click on highlighted works to open related images.
Wholeo, the name of the dome, and all images are Copyright Caroling 1974 All rights reserved
San Francisco, 1967
Wholeo started with a vision quest for the whole self and the desire to be
completely immersed in colored light. In San Francisco, I made a scale model design for a colored dome. Eventually, the actual dome turned out quite differently. It could not be confined to the preliminary vision.
To prove the concept, I built a test panel on two foam shells, to the curvature
of the hemisphere. These pictures show the panel and the colored light from the panel projected
onto a foam shell. Eventually, the panel became part of Wholeo.
New York, 1968
After moving to Staten Island, N.Y., I talked to architects, experimented with plastic frameworks, and read the "Whole Earth Catalog" and the "Dome Book." I created and built some panels on a light table.
Berkeley and Forestville, California, 1972
Four years and many paintings, drawings, and 20 glass panels later, I was ready to put up the dome frame. I needed to see the glass in position in natural light. So I headed for California.
In Berkeley, I made the aluminum tube frame and put up the NY panels for the first time. At last I was quite sure it could work and it was a wonderful idea. To make the dream come true, I found a site on the sunny side of a canyon in Forestville, Sonoma County on a ranch named "Harmony." There I built a dome to live in while finishing Wholeo. My only utility was cold water with a spigot. The setting fostered the solitude and serenity needed to realize the visions of the search for the whole self.
Monte Rio, California, 1975
Take a look at the geodesic aluminum tube frame skeleton
that holds up the skin of leaded glass panels. The next picture shows a single panel
perched high against the sky. It is the first one on the dome.
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Installing Wholeo in Monte Rio.
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In Monte Rio, a blessing for Wholeo, 1976.
Wholeo remained open to the public in Monte Rio for six years. Now it is in storage,
awaiting its next site.
Where is Wholeo's Home?
This page last modified : Sun Feb 25 1996
Back to exhibit page.
The first table design, made from excelsior, plaster, and 2' x 4' wooden beams, cut
to the curvature of the dome.
Painting for the brain cell, one of many studies.
At Harmony a dome named Bump to live in while finishing Wholeo.
The signature, date, and copyright panel was installed.
Installing Wholeo in Monte Rio.
In Monte Rio, a blessing for Wholeo, 1976.
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1"=1' model for a 12'-diameter dome.
"Cells," the first panel in Wholeo.
