Muskegon, Museum of Art

Fifty by Fifty: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Studio Glass

August 23 through October 28, 2012

Nancy Callan
Tiger’s Eye Orb
Blown glass, 2010

Jay Macdonell
Crimson Red Cane with Lime Green and Copper Blue
Blown glass, 2010

 

Sean Albert
Intentionally Random Line Study 6.3.08
Kiln formed glass, 2008

Sungsoo Kim
Rediscovery 111002
Kiln-cast glass, 2011

Tommie Rush
Yellow Iris Vase
Blown glass, sandblasted and etched, 2011

L. C. and Margaret Walker Gallery A

The MMA's 100th year, 2012, also marks the 50th Anniversary of the studio glass movement. In celebration of these events, the Muskegon Museum of Art has invited 50 artists whose work and teaching is helping to define the next generation of studio glass. Our guest curators, two of the top artists in the field, Benjamin P. Moore and Stephen Rolfe Powell, selected the artists for inclusion.

Studio glass in a rich variety of sizes and colors created using a wide array of techniques will be on display. Artists involved come from across the United States and are active in teaching and glass making around the country and throughout the world. The connections between the artists highlight the depth of the studio glass community, with many studying or working at Pilchuck Glass School and the Penland School of Crafts with some of the top names in the field, including Dale Chihuly and Lino Tagliapietra, and our guest curators Benjamin Moore and Stephen Rolfe Powell. Others have studied at colleges and universities and gone on to establish their own programs or studios. Just a few of the artists exhibiting include Nancy Callan, Curtiss Brock, Janusz Pozniak, Tommie Rush, Boyd Sugiki, and Debora Moore.

An illustrated full-color catalogue that includes curator essays, artist statements, and photos of works by all the artists will be available for purchase in the MMA Gift Store on August 23.

Fifty by Fifty: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Studio Glass is underwritten by SPX Corporation, the 100th Year Centennial Partner of the Muskegon Museum of Art, the Robert D. and C. Corcoran Tuttle Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, and is made possible, in part, by a 2012 Celebration Grant from the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass.

RELATED PROGRAMS

Thursday, August 23
Opening Event
5:30–7:00 pm Reception
7:00 pm Program
Join us for refreshments, and then get acquainted with Fifty by Fifty guest curators Benjamin Moore and Stephen Rolfe Powell. Moore and Powell will share their experiences as glass artists during this special program. Free and open to the public.This event is free and open to the public. Please call the MMA reservation line at 231.720.2598 by August 16 if you plan to attend. Attendance and program seating will be limited.

Gallery Tours
Thursdays, September, 1:00–3:00 pm
Sunday, September 9, 1:00–2:00 pm
Explore Fifty by Fifty with docent-led gallery tours.

Brown Bag Films
The following films are free and run 30 minutes. Underwritten by Alcoa Foundation/Howmet

Thursday, September 13, 12:15 pm
Master Class Series I: Cane Working With Lino Tagliapietra  
Thursday, September 27, 12:15 pm
Master Class Series II: An Introduction to Venetian Techniques  

Glass Super Saturday
September 8, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Free Family Fun Day! Drop in to tour Fifty by Fifty; see a short film; create your own glass-inspired artwork. Underwritten by Alcoa Foundation/Howmet
Walk and Talk with John Riepma  
Thursday, September 13, 6:30pm
Join glass artist John Riepma as he walks us through Fifty by Fifty. John will show us his favorite works and describe some of the technical skills that the artists use to create their glasswork. Free.

Thursday, November 1, 7:00 pm
NEW CENTURY / NEW ART DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES: PART III
White Light by Daniel Clayman
Get acquainted with glass artist Daniel Clayman, creator of Clear Volume—the large cast glass circle that has become a signature work in the MMA’s new Centennial Collection. His lecture follows an opening reception for ReMix: The New Permanent Collection. The reception starts at 5:30 pm the same evening. Free. This series is underwritten by Bayer Crop Science.