The Glass Road Blog
JUNE 2021
Crystal Bridges Art Museum is a
“Must-See”
On the way back from my grandson’s graduation from SMU in Dallas this May, I went to Crystal Bridges Art Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas. This museum was founded by Alice Walton and holds many of her collected works of art. It is also an architectural delight sitting in a 500 acre nature preserve. In addition to hiking trails, there were many glass works by Dale Chihuly as well as sculptures and a Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian house nestled about grounds.
Primarily I wanted to see the Craft in America exhibition, which features roughly 120 objects by over 90 American artists. The premise being that “Craft is skilled making on a human scale.” These craftsmen are artists as well as makers.
There were exhibited works in ceramics, wood, metal, fiber, textiles, and, of course, glass. Andy Paiko was one of the two glass artists represented. I recognized his work right away as a couple of years ago I observed him blowing at the glass studio where I work. His technique was awesome and so inspirational whether viewed in person during the making or in the museum. What a thrill to man the glory hole door while Andy worked and ask questions of the maestro after he’d finished his blowing! It’s interesting to think how experiences intersect along the Glass Road.
MAY 2021
In-Person is still the best experience when possible.
May is here and it is time for the annual GAS (Glass Art Society) conference, once again to be held virtually. Last year, the conference was to be held in Sweden and was a casualty of Covid 19 as was the case for the Tacoma conference this year. While I plan to tune in to the virtual experience, we are looking toward the future and hope the glass conferences of 2022 and beyond will again be able to host in person sessions.
In 2019, the conference was in Murano, Italy, the Holy Grail for glass blowers. I was there with my Operations Director, Cynthia. Visiting the big glass houses like Tagliapietra and Venini was wonderful – both in seeing the beautiful glass works produced as well as meeting designers and others in the trade. The highlight of this visit was the final gathering at the home and studio of fabled glass artist Lino Tagliapetra. He was a gracious host and I’m grateful that the Venetian glass maestro agreed to share a photo op with me – an experience on that I treasure.
Hopefully, the disruption Covid 19 has caused me and other glass blowers will soon end. I have used the down time to create a new website where I will keep everyone up to date on where Muffyglass goes next along The Glass Road.
Celia Hunt
Muffyglass