Rainbow Maker

Ever since the time of Noah, the rainbow has been a welcome symbol of nature's beauty and a Holy covenant with mankind. Here in sunny and rainy South Florida summers, the mystical arches are taken for granted by many people, but for Fred Stern their powerful beauty carries a greater meaning.

Stern, an artist and visual arts professor, uses fire trucks, boats, pumps and hoses to create rainbows. And though his works of art last no longer than the presentation itself, he's created them (some as large as 2,000 feet across) in many places worldwide.

Stern was one of a team of international artists invited to Germany to present their work in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Potsdam Treaty which determined the fate of Germany after World War. Stern's piece called "Keshet Sheket" (Hebrew for "Silent Rainbow"), was a memorial to the Holocaust. Silence was requested as the rainbow passed by.

Next summer, Stern plans to create a rainbow between Israel and Jordan to serve as a visual metaphor for peace in the region. Fred Stern has received varied recognition for his work including five major awards from the National Endowment for the Arts. He is committed to only present his work for organizations and events in support of the planet and world peace.

Ever since the time of Noah, the rainbow has been a welcome symbol of nature's beauty and a Holy covenant with mankind. Here in sunny and rainy South Florida summers, the mystical arches are taken for granted by many people, but for Fred Stern their powerful beauty carries a greater meaning. (Dimension Magazine)

Note: The Berlin Fire Brigade provided a two cannon multi-nozzle fire boat. It was a cloudy day. The people of Potsdam brought 15 minutes of sunshine for the event to take place. The event was staged under the Gleinecker Bridge which connects Potsdam with Berlin. June 1996.