Out of the Vault: Hidden Gems from the Museum of Glass Permanent Collection

March 30, 2019 – October, 18 2020

Exhibition Overview

As acclaimed celebrity archaeologist Dr. Indiana Jones once exclaimed: “It belongs in a museum!” But why? And for what purpose?

Museum collections are held in public trust – each object is protected with high standards of care, and collections are shared through exhibitions and research. Museum of Glass has been collecting art since 2007, and is our collections are continually growing and changing to represent the vibrant and evolving Studio Glass movement.

The art held in our collections is donated to MOG by private collectors and artists, and represent local, national, and international artists, and a variety of innovative and historic glass techniques. Many pieces were made in the Museum’s Hot Shop during a Visiting Artist Residency - look for the ‘Made at MOG’ logo on the label. Our collections also include an extensive digital archive of photos and video, as well as a growing collection of correspondence, posters and ephemera.

Each piece of art we collect is a new puzzle piece from a continually-evolving artistic movement. As the Museum collects works of art, photographs, videos, footage captured in our Hot Shop, and archival materials, we continue to help tell the story of glass in the Pacific Northwest and its impact on artists around the world, and encourage visitors to reflect on the importance of creativity and the diverse possibilities of the medium of glass.

Featured Images

Image Credits

Ginny Ruffner (American, born 1952). Untitled from Virtual Vessel Series, 1999. Hot-blown glass and aluminum. Overall: 48 x 34 x 34 in. (121.9 x 86.4 x 86.4 cm). Collection of Museum of Glass, gift of Randall and Joyce Lert (2013.15).
Jeff Crandall (American, born 1964). Poet's Bottles: Faith, Hope, Truth, 1998. Sand-blasted and factory blown glass with corks. Three bottles, each 11 1/2 × 2 3/4 in. (29.2 × 7 cm). Collection of Museum of Glass, gift of Lloyd E. Herman.
Jeremy Lepisto (Australian and American, born 1974). Each Unto Its Own, Made at the Museum in 2009. Blown and enameled glass with fabricated steel. Overall: 16 3/4 x 8 x 8 in. (42.5 x 20.3 x 20.3 cm). Collection of Museum of Glass, gift of the artist (VA.2009.5). Photo by Paul Foster, courtesy of the artist.
Flora C. Mace (American, born 1949). Untitled boar vase, circa 1974. Blown glass; 7 1/4 x 6 1/2 in. (18.4 x 16.5 cm). Collection of Museum of Glass, gift of Terese Jennings in the memory of Stella, Rick, and Nancy Jennings (2016.27.3).