"The Grid" - Explore pattern, balance, and composition on an interactive grid.
(The Discovery Museum, Bridgeport Connecticut 1992)

For many years, Pannucci created colorful, silk-screened, patchwork quilts and wall-hangings. The patchwork format was traditional, the designs were hers and modern. To her surprise, what she found to be the most fun part of this creative process, making the compositional design choices, was something that even the postman wanted to do (she lived in Vermont at the time). Taking stacks of the fabric squares and designing a pleasing arrangement on the floor (this was the step prior to sewing) became a favorite pastime of house guests and visitors.

Armed with this information about human nature, she combined it with memories of the mechanics of a palm-sized, grid game in order to design an interactive piece of art. "The Grid" is a 4'x8', wall-mounted artwork which challenges the participants to make decisions about the formal aspects of composition: line, color, shape, pattern, texture, movement, balance and unity.

Because Pannucci has done many projects at children's museums, this piece was designed with durability and safety in mind. The 4" square grid pieces are the appropriate size for a child's hand and are locked onto the grid through their mushroom design fabricated in white, non-breakable lexan. A spring system allows the grid pieces to move and snap into place when positioned. Storage areas are located on the bottom and sides of the center compositional area.