Laminated glass artwork by Maureen McQuillan at the 36 Av station features vibrantly hued and mysteriously suspended forms. Fabricated in laminated glass by Queens-based glass studio Depp Glass, McQuillan’s artwork references both the diverse social fabric of Astoria and the daily commutes of riders within the 36 Av station.   

The artwork, "Crystal Blue Persuasion," is named for the song by Tommy James, and located in mezzanine windows of the station. Its simple forms, such as stripes and diamonds, become dynamic patterns when repeated, suggesting everything from ancient textiles and tapestries to fractals and microscopic photography.  

McQuillan creates abstract, geometric forms and patterns in her paintings and drawings. She applies ink lines in layers of acrylic polymer with museum board, which are subsequently manipulated to fold and bend in undulating ripples. The geometric patterns in "Crystal Blue Persuasion" reflect the repetitive nature of commuting, at once familiar and yet always different. 

Maureen McQuillan is a New York-based contemporary artist who works on drawing, painting, camera-less photography, and sculptural installation. Through a systematic approach, she uses color and flowing line to create complexly patterned abstractions. Her work investigates the subjectivity of color, and how technology mediates and defines our perception of it. McQuillan is a graduate of Columbia University and the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture. Her work is included in the public collections and has exhibited across the U.S. and internationally.