Davidson-Gerson Modern Glass Gallery

About this exhibit

Modern studio glass — a blend of art, science and technological innovation — embraces the notion of glass as a medium for creative expression, in contrast to its use in industrial production. This exhibition is about how that blend evolved over three generations from pure experimentation to the myriad range of artistic production we know today.

Highlights

Vase Made by Harvey K. Littleton at the Second Toledo Museum of Art Glass Workshop, 1962

"Summer Bouquet with Honeybees" by Paul J. Stankard, 2004

Paul Stankard is one of the founders of the Studio Glass movement of the 1960s and 70s. Most early Studio Glass artists began their careers creating paperweights and moved on to other forms. Stankard concentrated on creating the most technically sophisticated and beautiful paperweights he could imagine. Today, Stankard is acclaimed for his miniature worlds, consisting of imaginary botanicals, bees and sometimes human figures.

"Blue Macchia with Yellow Lip" by Dale Chihuly, 1999

"Devils Blowing Glass" by Lucio Bubacco, 1997

Lucio Bubacco grew up surrounded by the centuries-old glass culture of the island of Murano, Italy. He invented a glass technique to sculpt bodies that appear in motion. His figures are precariously placed in poses that make for a lively arrangement. He uses a delicate soda-lime glass mixture instead of the sturdier Pyrex to achieve a more vibrant, colorful result.