We love Johns Hopkins Hospital‘s inspired idea to commission artist Spencer Finch to transform a visitor’s waiting room. Which he did by creating a feeling of being in a snow globe! And he used what seem like a simple approach, painting the “frit pattern” on windows that light would transform into a snow globe effect.

We’re thinking it could be done with paint, tape a la Tony Feher, or…

…We were reminded of the Colorforms we played with as kids, colorful geometric and abstract shapes that would stick to smooth surfaces. We looked up what they were made of: sheet-thin, flexible die-cut vinyl pieces. (Video link here.)

We’re thinking shapes cut out or stamped out of paper thin sheets of vinyl might be just the perfect, impermanent material for making snow-globe windows.

You can buy a a reissue of the Original Colorforms set here (which could also look great on windows…)