Pillars of Pacific Northwest Glass
Glassblowing is a collaborative process where each piece requires a team to create. This effort is fueled by a culture of experimentation and sharing of new techniques. Building on that spirit of collaboration, in 2009, Museum of Glass and Pilchuck Glass School partnered to present the Visiting Artist Summer Series, which continues to this day. Each summer, after their sessions at Pilchuck, several instructors and/or Artists in Residence are invited to Museum of Glass for five-day residencies in the Museum’s Hot Shop. These residencies allow artists to expand on ideas started at Pilchuck, complete new works, and continue to push the boundaries of the medium.
This partnership has also resulted in two joint exhibitions at Museum of Glass. First, in 2017, Northwest Partners in Glass presented works in the Museum’s Visiting Artist Collection made by artists who benefited from dual opportunities at the Museum and Pilchuck. Later, 2021’s What Are You Looking At? highlighted the unique experiments and prototypes pursued during artist residencies in the context of each artist’s larger artistic practice. The diversity of creative voices and the collective wonder that was generated exemplified the objectives of the residency programs at both Pilchuck Glass School and Museum of Glass.
This summer, the Visiting Artists holding residencies at both institutions are Annette Blair, Sonya Clark, Ben Edols, and Wendy Red Star. Additionally, Museum of Glass and Pilchuck partnered on a booth at the Seattle Art Fair July 17-20, which, in conjunction with Traver Gallery, Stonington Gallery, and PDX Contemporary, showcased works from Pacific Northwest artists important to both institutions, including Lino Tagliapietra, Dale Chihuly, Preston Singletary, Nancy Callan, Raven Skyriver, and more. The Museum of Glass Mobile Hot Shop also joined the celebration outside of Lumen Field, featuring a curated lineup of artists demonstrating the process of glassmaking.
The partnership between Museum of Glass and Pilchuck Glass School is a testament to how foundational glass is to the Pacific Northwest. Much more than just art, it is a cultural force that connects us to the world. Museum of Glass and Pilchuck Glass School are the pulse of this legacy, and this partnership highlights our collective leadership in the medium.
Gaffer Romina Gonzales working with Artist in Residence Eleanor Anderson.
Michael Endo
Artistic Director, Pilchuck Glass School
The partnership between the Museum of Glass and Pilchuck Glass School is a natural one. Pilchuck is a place where the glass world comes together, and Museum of Glass is a strong part of that community. Between our Artist in Residence program and our educational workshops taught by world-renowned instructors, Pilchuck has been pushing the medium of glass into new territory since 1971. Instructors, residents and gaffers come to Pilchuck to explore and experiment with new bodies of work. Through our partnership, they can continue this exploration during their residency at Museum of Glass. It is through this collaboration that two pillars of Pacific Northwest glass are helping artists define the future of the medium.
Eleanor Anderson
Pilchuck Glass School Artist in Residence and Museum of Glass Visiting Artist
Working with glass is, in many ways, the opposite of my practice in textiles. The pace: fast. The materials: hot and dangerous. The workplace: inherently collaborative. Having no previous experience in glass, but a healthy appetite for adventuring in materials, I wanted to try everything. On the first night at Pilchuck, I laid out my drawings for the gaffers, Romina Gonzales and Jason Bauer, as well as my assistant, Fan Su, and our excitement grew as we realized what might be possible for the session. We set our sights on a series of large colorful box forms. In between my blow slots, I experimented with fused glass, using sheets of Bullseye to resemble collage or quilting. The flameworkers showed me how to bend stringer with a torch, so I figured out a way to melt it onto itself to look like thread with little knots in it. The gaffers rolled up the stringer designs before blowing them, creating a beautiful design for some functional cups and vessels. Mel Hunter helped me cast a roll of rubber tubing in a beautiful shade of transparent purple. Tyler Gordon helped me fabricate some neon knots. Like I said, I tried everything I could!
Eleanor Anderson pieces in Artist in Residence Cabin at Pilchuck.
Eleanor Anderson drawings at Pilchuck.
When I arrived at Museum of Glass, we hit the ground running, taking some of the fused glass sheets I made at Pilchuck and rolling them up into large vessels. Sarah Gilbert, Gabe Feenan, Ben Cobb, Kristin Elliot, and Serena Berry all helped set the stage to create more glass boxes and push the scale. Working with the teams at Pilchuck and Museum of Glass was one of the most energizing creative experiences of my life. I felt empowered to see a drawing come to life in this beautiful material, and in awe of the talented glass artists–our spirits buoyed by the strong sense of community. On my last night in Tacoma during my Museum of Glass residency, it was my honor to play for the Hilltop Burners softball team, one of the highlights of my art-jock career. Go Burners!
The two residencies sparked a true interest in continuing to work with glass. I have sought out other residencies where I can work with fused glass, as well as commissioned glass artist Sable Haze to fabricate some tinker-toy-like beads as components in a large textile piece. The pieces I made during the residencies will be shown for the first time in September for my solo show Color Block, exhibited at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond.
Eleanor Anderson pieces.
Eleanor Anderson in the Museum of Glass Hot Shop.
Benjamin Cobb
Hot Shop Director, Museum of Glass
When Museum of Glass opened, everyone involved had strong admiration for the Artist in Residence program at Pilchuck, which, at that point, had already been in place for over two decades. One of the ways in which we grew our Visiting Artist Program was by partnering with Pilchuck. This allowed us to access artists who weren’t necessarily on our radar and establish a stronger connection to the fine arts community. It helped us grow our reputation in both the artist community and the larger glass community.
The impact of hosting artists at both institutions is often most tangible when those artists don’t necessarily work in glass. These artists spend valuable time at Pilchuck establishing a foundation in the material and understanding how it can be incorporated into their existing practice. Once they have learned a few things, they come to the Museum and are able to hone their skills and work on those specific ideas and projects that began to take shape at Pilchuck. This arrangement is so beneficial for these artists, and we are honored to play a part in their growth.
Benjamin Cobb and Hot Shop Starter Sarah Gilbert with MOG/Pilchuck artist Victoria Ahmadizadeh Melendez in the Museum of Glass Hot Shop.
About Pilchuck Glass School
Founded in 1971 by artist Dale Chihuly (American, born 1941) and patrons Anne Gould Hauberg and John H. Hauberg, Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington, is an international center dedicated to the creative use of glass in art and design. Every year, they welcome more than 500 students and artists to campus for courses in a range of glass processes taught by world-renowned artists and instructors. In these courses, as well as the residency programs, the goal is to emphasize experimentation, teamwork, individual initiative, and creative expression. Although much has changed since the 1970s, the original core values of the school endure: to inspire creativity, transform individuals, and build community.