Her hand-blown glass artwork dazzles in the homes of Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman and Russell Simmons, to name a few, and now she’s using her creative eye to make sure that seniors in Flower Mound get the same star treatment. Well-known artist Juli Juneau hopes to inspire seniors with the one-of-a-kind blown-glass pieces she is making specifically for them. Juneau was the first artist commissioned by Avanti Senior Living to create unique art which will be displayed throughout its newest community – Avanti Senior Living at Flower Mound. In addition to this specially crafted blown-glass art, Avanti commissioned several other local artists to create emotionally moving and imaginative pieces that will inspire residents daily. Wanting to crush stereotypes and give seniors the lifestyle and experiences they want and deserve, Avanti developed a forward-thinking approach that rejects the stereotypical décor of a senior living community. Instead, the community resembles a boutique hotel.

“Avanti is moving away from the typical paintings of empty rocking chairs, empty boats and light at the end of the path toward more abstract works such as photo realism, black-and-white photography and artwork with depth and texture,” said Vicki Lee King, executive director of Avanti Senior Living at Flower Mound. “The custom-designed artwork will bring a creative effervescence, texture and depth to the décor. Avanti has commissioned artists who create different kinds of pieces, including paintings, wall sculptures, photographs, blown glass, Plexiglas, canvas prints, metal prints and more. We’re working vigorously to transform and revolutionize the senior living industry by commissioning local artists to create feelings of exhilaration while offering a touch of pizzazz for them to enjoy. The fresh designs are especially inviting in spaces that are uplifting due to their natural lighting and custom-designed, vibrant artwork. The artwork and accessories are sophisticated and intriguing.” 

The Flower Mound community is currently installing the artwork to prepare for its grand opening this spring. Juneau’s blown-glass pieces were recently and methodically placed throughout the community. Her artwork is in many collections, including those of Irvin Mayfield, Lou Gossett, Jr., the Anheuser-Busch Private Collection, the New Orleans Saints’ Tom Benson Collection and the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. Her art is displayed around the United States as well as in eight other countries. As she advances into this new territory with Avanti Senior Living, Juneau is creating tactile pieces that will engage the senses of assisted living and memory care residents. Juneau and her team use a five-foot blow pipe in a 2,000-degree furnace to shape and layer glass and color using metal tools and even their hands while protected by thick layers of wet newspaper. The glass must stay hot the entire time it is being molded and crafted. The creation process can be dynamic with bold, free-flowing movements or precise and soft, like brushing a hair away from your face. Once the piece is finished, Juneau and her assistants move it into a 1,000-degree oven that cools slowly over the course of 24 hours in order to prevent the piece from exploding. Sometimes, the end result looks even more magical than they had planned. 

“Avanti Senior Living values artwork – not just the viewing of magnificent pieces, but also the creativity that comes from crafting one’s own work,” said Lee King. “Once open, our engagement coordinator will schedule regular art classes for residents to enjoy in the community’s own fully-functional art studio that was designed with an abundance of natural light and a stone wall for displaying residents’ artwork. Our Towne Lake community in Houston has a regular painting class that we dubbed ‘Avanti with a Twist,’ and we are looking forward to hosting similar classes for our residents in Flower Mound. There’s no limit to the styles of artwork we can try and creative outlets we can pursue.”