2GALLERY GUIDE

Art ofGLASS

ART OF GLASS: HISTORY OF THE PROJECT1999In 1999, Contemporary Art Center of Virginia (CAC), ChryslerMuseum of Arts, Virginia Art Festival and 15 regional affili-ates joined forces to produce world class exhibitions of con-temporary glass art for Southeastern Virginia.

Art of Glass was born from a collective dream of SuzanneMastracco, Andrew Fine and Harry Lester. Art of Glass wouldhave remained a dream had it not been for the enormoussupport and commitment of the community. Trustee RodRodriguez and his company, Bay Mechanical, fabricated thearmatures which held the chandeliers.

A major highlight of Art of Glass was the CAC's presentationof Dale Chihuly's work. The exhibition featured dazzlingchandeliers, a walk-through glass ceiling, and a stage setthat Chihuly had designed for the opera, Pelleas &Melisande. The Chrysler Museum of Art, home to one of thegreatest glass collections in the USA, featured glass instal-lations by three major contemporary artists: ThermonStatom, William Morris and Stephen Antonakos. The VirginiaArts Festival developed programming that illuminated theconnection between visual and performing arts. Portable hotshops for glass blowing demonstrations enhanced the exhi-bitions.

In April 1999, The Daily Press compared SoutheasternVirginia with Seattle, the acknowledged capital of glass art inthe United States, proclaiming "Over the next few weeks,Hampton Roads will push aside the cultural capital of thePacific Northwest as the best place in the country--maybe

even the world--to look at contemporary glass."

Art of Glass illustrated the power of art as a transcendentforce when volunteers, professionals and communities worktogether in partnership.

A part of the lasting legacy of Art of Glass resides in theRodriguez Pavilion with Dale Chihuly's 2003 Mille Colori, pur-chased by passionate glass art patrons. The Chihuly chan-delier, "the gem of Virginia Beach," inspires awe and delightfor thousands of adult visitors and school children each year.

Art of Glass--dare to dream.

MAKE IT MOLTEN: THE ART, SCIENCE AND HISTORY OF GLASS

At the crux of the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia's mis-sion is art education. For Art of Glass 2 we have provided aneducational section titled Make it Molten: The Art, Scienceand History of Glass. In this area of the Museum you will finda timeline contextualizing glass from the 1960s to the pres-ent day, information about several processes including avideo on glass processes from the Corning Museum, vari-ous glass tools and samples of glass. This educational com-ponent provides basic understanding of glass art as youtravel into the exhibits.

Organized by Alison Byrne, curator of education; Kate Pittman, special proj-ects manager; Heather Hakimzadeh, associate curator; and glass consult-ant Ali Rogan.

Special thanks to the host of local artists who contributed images and glasssamples to the project.

1999-2009: A REGION COLLECTS

The 1999 debut of Art of Glass stimulated an entire region ofglass art collectors. People from all over Hampton Roadswere overcome by Dale Chihuly's '99 retrospective and afterthe show's completion many individuals started contactinggalleries and traveling to various cities, all in the interest ofpurchasing glass art. In this exhibition, CAC showcasesnumerous artworks from 9 local collections. The works ondisplay were all purchased within the last ten years and cul-tivated through discussions with collectors and the curator.Selections were based on notoriety of the artists, accessibil-ity of the works and technical prowess in the realm of glass.

The purpose of the exhibition is to highlight not only the sig-nificance of contemporary glass art in our community, but todually expose the diversity of production and use ofprocesses through the lens of renowned artists. Throughoutthe exhibition you will find glass that has been blown, cast,painted and flame- or lamp-worked.

Special thanks go to the collectors who participated in thisexhibition. We appreciate their generosity in sharing privateworks with our Museum community:

Suzanne and Vince MastraccoIrene and Randy SuttonPam and George ClarkeGale and Scott HiggsUschi and Bill ButlerLynne and Steven WinterTerri and bob McKenzieValerie and Walter NeffBarbara and Andrew Fine

We would also like to recognize our sponsors who have sup-ported this exhibit: Cindy and Rod Rodriguez and Al Ward ofBay Mechanical; Dave Jester and Rick Hughes of MarlynDevelopment; Tom Hitt and Hitt Electric; Randy Sutton ofWaterfront Marine Construction; Gale and Scott Higgs;designer Jim Armbruster (lighting); Art of Glass 2 steeringcommittees and sponsors; and the entire CAC staff.

In the exhibition, along the walls, you will find accompanyingquotes from many of the artists. Our hope is that you willretain a sense of the artists' voices or learn a bit more abouttheir processes while viewing their work.

The artists represented in 1999-2009: A Region Collects areof national and international renown. You will find their biog-raphical information and web addresses here. We encour-age you to continue research if you are interested in a par-ticular artist and his or her technique or ideas.

Martin Blankb. 1962. Martin Blank graduated from Rhode Island Schoolof Design (RISD) in 1984 with a B.F.A. in Glass, and went onto work with many glass artists, including Dale Chihuly.Blank's work is on display in galleries throughout the UnitedStates and is featured in international exhibitions, includingthe Millennium Museum in Beijing, China; the ShanghaiMuseum of Fine Art and the American Embassy in Slovakia.He now owns and operates his own hot shop, Martin BlankStudios, in Seattle, Washington.www.martinblankstudios.com

Lucio Bubaccob. April 1957, Murano, Italy. Lucio Bubacco was born on theisland of Murano in the lagoon of Venice, Italy, in 1957. At fif-teen he received his artisan's license and launched hiscareer creating flame-worked Venetian glass pieces. Helater studied painting and drawing for two years withAlessandro Rossi. Bubacco's work has been exhibited inVenice, Japan, Mexico, France, Australia, and the UnitedStates. His work is included in the permanent collections ofthe Corning Museum of Glass, in Corning, New York; theVenetian Glass Museum in Otaru, Japan; the BorowskyCollection of Contemporary Glass in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania; and the J&L Lobmeyer Museum Collection inVienna, Austria. www.luciobubacco.com

Dale Chihulyb. 1941, Tacoma, Washington. Dale Chihuly was introducedto glass while studying interior design at the University ofWashington. After graduating in 1965, Chihuly enrolled in thefirst glass program in the country, at the University ofWisconsin. He continued his studies at the Rhode IslandSchool of Design (RISD), where he later established theglass program and taught for over a decade. In 1968,Chihuly was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to work at theVenini factory in Venice, Italy. In 1971, he co-foundedPilchuck Glass School in Washington. With this internationalglass center, Chihuly has led the avant-garde in the develop-ment of glass as a fine art. His work is included in over twohundred museum collections worldwide. He has been therecipient of many awards, including eight honorary doctor-ates and two fellowships from the National Endowment forthe Arts. www.chihuly.com

Hans Godo Fräbelb. 1941, Jena, East Germany. At the age of 15, Hans GodoFräbel was enrolled into a "Lehrausbildung Program" (atraineeship) as a scientific glassblower at the prestigiousJena Glaswerke in Mainz, West Germany, where he earnedhis "Gehilfenbrief," an apprenticeship diploma. In 1965 hecame to the U.S. and settled in Atlanta, where he obtained aposition at the Georgia Institute of Technology in its scientif-ic glass blowing laboratory. There, he also continued his artstudies at Emory University and Georgia State University. In1968, Fräbel established his own glass studio in Atlanta.Now he continues the European tradition of apprentice andmentoring studio master. www.frabel.com

Susan Gottb. 1959, Roanoke, VA, lives and works in Tampa, FL. SusanGott received her B.S. in Art Education from RadfordUniversity in 1981 and her M.F.A. from Kent State Universityin 1992. Her continued education is as follows: In 1991, '92,and '94 she attended Pilchuck Glass School to study kilncasting, art and architecture and lost wax casting; In 1991she was also a teaching assistant with Paul and DanteMarioni at hte Haystack Mountain School of Crafts; and from1988-89 she studied hot glass and casting with Paul Marioniand Albinas Elskus at the Penland School of Crafts. Her artis featured in numerous glass publications and trade jour-nals, including Glass Art and New Glass Review 16. She hasbeen honored with numerous awards and grants includingthe 2000 Individual Artist Fellowship from the state of Floridaand the New Forms Florida Grant. www.gottglass.com

Jon Kuhnb. 1949, and resides in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. JonKuhn earned an M.F.A. from Virginia CommonwealthUniversity in 1972. His work can be found in prominentmuseums as well as private and public collections, includingthe White House Collection, The Metropolitan Museum ofArt, New York City; the Smithsonian American Art Museum,the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Corning Museum of Glass,the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg; and theMuseé des Arts Decoratif, Lausanne, Switzerland. His workis discussed in several publications including AmericanCraft: Source Book for the Home, and Glass: State of the Art1984 (and 1989). www.kuhnstudio.com

Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava BrychtováStanislav Libenský: b.1921, Sezemice-Mnichovo Hradiste,Czech Republic, d. 2002, Zelezný Brod, Czech Republic;Jaroslava Brychtová: b. 1924, Zelezný Brod, Czech Republic.

Stanislav Libenský was an integral contributor to the modernglass art movement in his native country, along with his wifeJaroslava Brychtová (1924- ). They significantly influencedthe greater world of glass artistry. Libenský studied glass-making and painting in Novy Bor and Zelezny BrodSpecialized Schools of Glassmaking in the Czech Republic.In 1944, he graduated from the Secondary Art School inPrague, Czech Republic; and in 1950, he graduated fromthe Academy of Applied Arts in Prague, Czech Republic. In1954, Libenský began his almost 50-year collaboration withBrychtová, who also completed studies at the Academy ofApplied Arts. Libenský was headmaster at Zelezny Brodfrom 1954 to 1963 and headmaster at the Academy ofApplied Arts from 1963 to 1987. Beginning in 1982, he wasa guest lecturer at such prestigious institutions as PilchuckGlass School, Stanwood, Washington, and the RoyalCollege of Art, London, United Kingdom. ww.glassencyclopedia.com/Libenskyglass.html

Robert Mickelsonb. 1951, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Robert Mickelson apprenticedwith a professional lampworker for two years in the mid-sev-

enties; and in 1987, he attended a class taught by PaulStankard that opened his eyes to the possibilities of hismedium. His work is exhibited in many prominent collectionsincluding the Renwick Gallery of American Crafts at theSmithsonian Institution, the Corning Museum of Glass, TheToledo Museum of Art, The Carnegie Museum of Art, TheMint Museum, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Museumof American Glass at Wheaton Village, and the PilchuckGlass School. www.mickelsenstudios.com

Tobias Møhl b. 1970, Aalborg, Denmark. Tobias Møhl's training came atthe age of 19 from his on-the-job experience as a glassblow-er for the Danish firm, Holmegaard Glasværk, where hestarted in 1989. By 1992 he was a master glass blower. Hewas blowing for Lino Tagliapietra's master class at Pilchuckin 1996 and at Tagliapietra's master class at Haystack in1997. His work is in many international collections, includingThe Danish Museum of Decorative Art, Denmark; TheDanish Art Foundation, Denmark; Holstebro Art Museum,Denmark; Museum of Art and Design, New York;Glasmuseum Ebeltoft, Denmark; NordenfjeldskeKunstindustrimuseum, Norway; Memorial Art Museum,Rochester, New York; Malmø Kunstmuseum, Sweden;Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, Germany; andthe Corning Museum of Glass. www.travergallery.com orwww.hellergallery.com

Klaus Mojeb. 1936, Hamburg, Germany. Klaus Moje was trained as aglass cutter and grinder at age 16 and established his firststudio in 1961. He relocated to Australia in 1982, where hefounded the Glass Workshop of the Canberra School of Artand the modern art glass movement in Australia. He hasparticipated in exhibitions in Europe, North America,Australia and Japan. In 2004 he was honored with theLifetime Achievement from UrbanGlass. His work is includedin the permanent collections of the Victoria and AlbertMuseum, the Museum Bellerive in Zurich, the MetropolitanMuseum of Art, and the Museum of Arts & Design.www.bullseyegallery.com

Grant MillerGrant Miller received his B.F.A. in Fine Art from CaliforniaState University, Long Beach. He established his own studioin the late 1970s working primarily in clay and wood. In the1980's he began to work exclusively in glass. He has shownwork in galleries and juried exhibitions throughout the UnitedStates. www.rendezvousofthearts.com

William Morrisb. 1957, Carmel, California. William Morris received hisdegrees from California State University at Chico andCentral Washington University. He originally worked as DaleChihuly's gaffer (master glassblower) in the early 1980s, andhas since maintained his own studio. William Morris' work isincluded in the permanent collections of the MetropolitanMuseum of Art, the American Craft Museum, the Chrysler

Museum of Art, the Louvre, the Victoria and Albert Museumand the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris. www.wmorris.com

Dino Rosinb. 1948, Venice, Italy. At the age of twelve, Dino Rosin leftschool to apprentice at the Barovier and Toso glassworksuntil he was able to join his brothers, Loredano and Mirko, attheir factory, Artvet, in 1963. In 1975 he moved to LoredanoRosin's newly established studio as his assistant where hecollaborated with his brother for more than 25 years. In 1988Dino Rosin was invited to Pilchuck Glass School inWashington to teach with Loredano Rosin and the Americanglass artist, William Morris. Dino Rosin's work has also beenseen at the Museo dell'arte vetraria in Murano Italy. www.rosi-nartestudio.it

Maria Grazia Rosinb. 1958, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Maria Grazia Rosin attend-ed the Academy of Fine Arts in Venics, studying with EmilioVedova in the painting section. In 1991, she began experi-menting with glass, conceiving of creative sculptures withorganic forms. With these new works, she participated in theGlass Project at the Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation; andthe next year she was invited to participate in theDeterritoriale exhibition at the 45th Biennale, curated byAchille Bonito Oliva. Rosin is now a well-known artist on theinternational scene and is found in such museum collectionsas that of the Corning Museum of Glass in New York,Düsseldorf's Kunst Museum and the Murano GlassMuseum. www.berengo.com

Richard Royalb. 1952, Bremerton, Washington. Richard Royal beganworking as a hot glass sculptor in 1978 at the Pilchuck GlassSchool, located north of Seattle. Royal worked his waythrough the ranks to find himself as one of Dale Chihuly'smain assistants. Since the 1980's, Royal has since been anindependent artist exhibiting work internationally in both soloand group exhibitions for the past 25 years. Royal's work isincluded in renowned public and private collections world-wide, such as The Mint Museum of Art + Design, The HighMuseum, the New Orleans Museum of Art, The TampaMuseum of Art, and the Daiichi Museum. His artwork is alsoincluded in the SAFECO Collection, Price Waterhouse, IBM,and the Westinghouse Corporation. www.richardroyalstu-dio.com

Laura De Santillana b. 1955, Venice, Italy. Laura Diaz de Santillana attended theSchool of Visual Arts in New York. After working as a graph-ic designer at the design firm of Vignelli Associates in 1976,she returned to Italy and began an active collaboration withVetreria Venini & C., founded by her grandfather, PaoloVenini. From 1985 to 1993, she was the designer and artis-tic director of Eos and later worked as designer forRosenthal and for Ivan Baj. She has participated in numer-ous exhibitions in Europe, the United States, and Japan,winning widespread consensus. Several of her works have

been acquired by public and private collections such as theCorning Museum of Glass, New York; the Museum für Kunstund Gewerbe, Hamburg, and the Museo Vetrario di Murano.www.barryfriedmanltd.com

Josh Simpsonb. 1949, New Haven, Connecticut. Josh Simpson attendedHamilton College where he received a bachelor's degree inPsychology. He then chose a career as a glass artist, estab-lishing his own studio in rural New England in 1972. His workhas been published in the Corning Museum's New GlassReview 5 and 8, as well as OMNI Magazine, LIFE, TheSmithsonian Magazine, and The New York Times. Simpson'swork is included in the permanent collections of the WhiteHouse Collection of American Crafts; Corning Museum ofGlass, New York; Smithsonian American Art Museum;Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Czech Republic;Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Yale University Art Gallery;and the Royal Ontario Museum. www.joshsimpson.com

Preston Singletaryb. 1963, San Fransico, California. Preston Singletary learnedthe art of glass blowing by working with artists, includingBenjamin Moore and Dante Marioni, in the Seattle area. Hestudied at the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood,Washington. Singletary has also had the opportunity to workwith Italian legends Lino Tagliapietra, Cecco Ongaro, andPino Signoretto. Singletary's artworks are included in muse-um collections such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston;The Seattle Art Museum; the Corning Museum of Glass,New York; the Mint Museum of Art + Design, the HeardMuseum; and the Handelsbanken, Stockholm, Sweden.www.prestonsingletary.com

Ivana Šrámkováb. 1960, Liberec, Czechoslovakia. Ivana Šrámková attendedSpecialized Secondary School for Glass, �elezný Brod. Sheis a recipient of the 1991 Prague Glass Prize emerging artistaward. Šrámková's work has been exhibited in Europe, theUnited States and Japan. Her sculptures are represented inthe collections of major museums such as the Victoria andAlbert Museum, London; the Corning Museum of Glass,New York; and the Museum of Modern Art, Lausanne,Switzerland. www.hellergallery.com

Cappy Thompsonb. 1952, Washington, USA. Cappy Thompson is aWashington native who graduated from The Evergreen StateCollege in Olympia, Washington, in 1976. She has taught atthe Rochester Institute of Technology, the California Collegeof the Arts, the Canberra School of Art in Australia, theCentro del Arte Vitro in Monterrey, Mexico, Pilchuck GlassSchool and Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. Herpublic commissions include a curtain wall at Seattle-TacomaInternational Airport; a mural at the Museum of Glass inTacoma, Washington; a window for the Evergreen StateCollege in Olympia, Washington; and a window for theMontgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Montgomery, Alabama.

Her work is included in the permanent collections of theMuseum of Arts & Design, New York; the Corning Museumof Glass, New York; the Tacoma Art Museum, Washington;and the Art Gallery of Western Australia in Perth. Thompsonserves on the Bellevue Arts Museum board of directors andthe Pilchuck Glass School's Artistic Program AdvisoryCommittee. www.cappythompson.com

Hiroshi Yamanob. 1956, Fukuoka, Japan. Hiroshi Yamano began his seriousstudy of glass at the California College of Arts and Crafts,continuing at the Tokyo Glass Art Institute. He received hisM.F.A. from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Yamano iscofounder of the Ezra Glass Studio in Fukui, Japan, andhelped establish the formidable glass program at OsakaUniversity of Arts, where he now serves as chairman. Hiswork is included in the permanent collections of the RacineArt Museum, Wisconsin; The Chrysler Museum of Art,Virginia; Corning Museum of Glass, New York; RochesterInstitute of Technology Library, Permanent Collection, NewYork; Wheaton Glass Museum, New Jersey; and Winter ParkCity Hall, Florida. www.galleriasilecchia.com

Toots Zynskyb. 1951, Boston, Massachussetts. Toots Zynsky was bornMary Ann, but was called Toots almost from birth. Sheearned her B.F.A. at the Rhode Island School of Design(RISD) in 1973. She was one of Dale Chihuly's first studentsat RISD. In the early 1970's Toots, again working withChihuly, was instrumental in the founding and early develop-ment of the Pilchuck Glass Studio in Washington State. Shewas also involved in the establishment of New YorkExperimental Glass Workshop in New York City, now knownas UrbanGlass in Brooklyn. She has participated in innumer-able shows both internationally and in the United States. Herwork was shown at special exhibitions in Tokyo, Zurich,Venice, Philadelphia, and Chicago and is included in thepermanent collections of the Smithsonian American ArtMuseum, the Corning Museum of Glass, New York; and TheWhite House Collection of American Crafts among manyother collections. www.glassfacts.info

Special thanks to Heather Hakimzadeh, associate curator for composingbiographical information and quotes for the purposes of this exhibition.

Curated by Ragan Cole-Cunningham, director of exhibitions and education

DANTE MARIONIFORM|COLOR|PATTERNb. 1964, Mill Valley, California

Dante Marioni has been creating sculptural vessels in glassfor nearly three decades. He was born in Mill Valley,California, the son of Paul Marioni, an active participant inthe Studio Glass Movement. Engaging his natural affinity forglass, young Marioni pursued formal studies with FritzDreisbach at the Penland School of Crafts in Penland, NorthCarolina, as well as at the Pilchuck Glass School inStanwood, Washington. Following high school graduation,he plunged all of his energies into glassblowing. Marioni hassince become a prolific teacher in his own right, offeringclasses at institutions throughout the United States,Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Europe.

This exhibition illustrates Dante Marioni's elegant style, root-ed in the centuries-long artistic conversation surroundingclassical design, proportion and aesthetics, as well as theteachings of contemporary mentors such as LinoTagliapietra, Benjamin Moore and Richard Marquis. Theseworks demonstrate Marioni's ability to transform ancientVenetian techniques and classical forms into impressivelyscaled, vibrant, modern sculptural expressions, that are dis-tinctly his own.

For Dante Marioni, "the art of glassblowing rather than theblowing of glass art" is the ultimate purpose. The practicedrefinement and sophistication of his work reflects his pro-

found respect for and mastery of the glassblowing process.Throughout his signature series--from the intricate patteringof the Mosaic and Reticello vessels to the striking color con-trasts characteristic of the Finestra and Gambo vases; fromthe whimsicality-infused Cactus Vases, Leaves and VesselDisplays to the tour de force Ten-Handled Vases--Marioniplays with color, line and pattern, delineating space, redefin-ing forms and our perceptions of them. His work conjuresemotions ranging from meditative introspection to joyful exu-berance. All evoke a sense of wonder.

Text from Dante Marioni: Form|Color|Pattern exhibition, Museum of Glass,Tacoma, Washington

Dante Marioni: Form|Color|Pattern is a traveling exhibition organized byDante Marioni Studios. The exhibition has traveled to Muskegon Museum ofArt, Michigan; Amarillo Museum of Art, Texas; the Museum of Glass,Tacoma, Washington; and now, the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia. Allworks are from the personal collection of Dante and Alison Marioni.

Special thanks to Dante and Alison Marioni for sharing this prolific body ofwork with our community. Additional thanks to the Museum of Glass,Tacoma, Washington; Suzanne Mastracco and Andrew Fine and Art ofGlass 2 committees and sponsors; Kelly Conway and Bill Hennessey of theChrysler Museum of Art; Cindy and Rod Rodriguez and Al Ward of BayMechanical; Dave Jester and Rick Hughes of Marlyn Development; RandySutton and Waterfront Mmarine Construction; designer Jim Armbruster; andthe entire CAC staff.

Organized for CAC purposes by Ragan Cole-Cunningham, director of exhi-bitions and education.

Dante Marioni, Acorns, 2006. Glass. 9”x15”Photograph by Russell Johnson

HANK MURTA ADAMS b. 1956, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Hank Murta Adams is widely regarded as one of the great-est glass sculptors of our time. For this exhibition, Adamspresents four distinct series of works. Here you will find theartist's figurative busts and cast glass still-lifes; his latestinstallation piece, Produce, 2008, which consists of a 24-footexpanse of mixed media and glass objects; his Floor Eventseries that is created from a sand-mold process; and hiswork Ocuppato that combines common steel cans withglass to create an ever-growing installation.

Hank Murta Adams currently lives and works in Troy, NYwhile simultaneously serving as the Creative Director atWheaton Arts and Cultural Center in Millville, NJ. His workconsists of large-scale glass castings, site-specific installa-tions, performances and community projects. He received aFine Arts degree in painting from the Rhode Island School ofDesign (RISD). It was at RISD that Adams met Dale Chihulyand discovered a love of glass.

Adams often acts as a visiting artist at college and universi-ty venues and teaches part-time throughout the country. Heis represented by Elliott Brown Gallery in Seattle, WA andHeller Gallery in New York City.

Adams is the recipient of three National Endowment of theArts fellowships and the New York State Arts Grant. Hisworks are housed by some of the greatest collections in theUnited States and abroad including Glas MuseumFrauenau, Germany; Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art,Sapporo, Japan; Kunstmuseum Düsseldorf, Germany;Contemporary Arts Center, Honolulu, Hawaii; CorningMuseum of Glass, Corning, New York; and the DetroitInstitute of Art, Detroit, Michigan.

For more information on Hank Murta Adams, please visitelliottbrown.com, hellergallery.com and wheatonvillage.org,or purchase the Hank Murta Adams catalogue in CAC'sMuseum Shop.

Special thanks to Hank Murta Adams for his unwavering support and ded-ication to the project. Additional thanks to Suzanne Mastracco and AndrewFine and the Art of Glass 2 committees and sponsors; Cindy and RodRodriguez of Bay Mechanical; Dave Jester and Rick Hughes of MarlynDevelopment; Randy Sutton of Waterfront Marine Construction; Katya andDoug Heller, Heller Gallery, NY; Kate Elliott and Elliott Brown Gallery; Marx-Saunders Gallery; designer Jim Armbruster; Hank Adams' technical assis-tants Sam Geer and Max Lefko-Everett and the entire CAC staff.

Curated by Ragan Cole-Cunningham, director of exhibitions and education

top right:Hank Adams, Analyst. 2005. Glass and copper. 17.5" x 13.5" x 13"Courtesy of Hank M. Adams

bottom right:Hank Murta Adams

ASHES TO ASHES:LIFE AND DEATH INCONTEMPORARY GLASS"Analogies prove nothing, that is true, but they can make onefeel more at home."

- Sigmund Freud

The works in this group exhibition examine ideas of mortali-ty and illuminate various attributes of human existence.Using the glass process as a metaphor for life and death weselected works that are diverse in materiality and productionand address the subject of transience. Within this overarch-ing theme, a multitude of issues reveal themselves--spiritu-ality, rebirth, rejuvenation, transformation, and identity allemerge from the conceptual underbelly of the works.

Aesthetically pleasing and masterfully crafted, the works in"Ashes to Ashes" provide food for thought. New ideas inglass production expose themselves through the diverseuse of the material. Artists in the show have created vision-ary objects that offer fresh dialog about glass as sculpturalart material. At times, the subject matter and imagery maycause us to recoil given our traditional knowledge of glassform and function, though what is distinct about this group-ing of works is that while the objects do produce a sense ofawe and beauty in their construction or in our appreciationfor process, it is the overarching ideas encompassed withineach piece that generate greater interest.

Volcanoes, birds, stomachs, skulls and canopic jars point tomythologies and histories that hold spiritual connotation andcontemplation of one's own life span. Grief, turmoil, trial andtribulation are illuminated in many of the pieces.

Upon studying glass and its production--one which illumi-nates the great complexities of substance and questions amaterial's physical states and properties--we find an analo-gy between this and the ideas surrounding our own mortali-ty. The artists featured in "Ashes to Ashes" point to variousphases and psychological positions of one's existence.Feelings towards life and death are not easily defined andare more difficult to discuss publicly.

For one, death could bring about needed relief after a well-lived run on Earth, or provide a sense of comfort and recon-ciliation or even a connection with a Higher Power, if one sobelieves. For another, the thought of death brings terror andanxiety and reveals a macabre truth--that we live to eventu-ally die. Like glass, we boil and bubble, percolate and fester,meld and form relationships, and find a kind of magic withinthe smallest details, only to harden and cool in the end. Theworks provide a multiplicity of ideation depending on ourpresumption of death and how we live our lives in the pres-ent.

Issues of our spiritual path, family ancestry and pathology,

relationships and sexuality allude to vicissitudes of ourhuman condition and daily life. This inevitable experience,birth and death, is what binds us as a people, and here, illu-minated in approximately 20 works, we are asked to consid-er our path in life, our troubles and triumphs, our beliefs andour passions, our relationships with one another as a socie-ty and our place in this world at this particular moment.

FEATURED ARTISTSNed Cantrellb. 1975, United Kingdom. Ned Cantrell is an Englishman,but has lived in Denmark for many years. He earned anNational Diploma from Colchester Institute School of Art andDesign, UK, a B.A. from The Surrey Institute of Art andDesign University, UK and trained at the Glass & CeramicsSchool on Bornholm, Denmark. Ned Cantrell has participat-ed in exhibitions from around the world including, the U.S.,UK, Germany, Sweden, France and China.www.micaela.com/cantrell.html

Frida Fjellmanb. 1971, Sweden. Frida Fjellman earned her M.F.A. in Glassand Ceramics from Konfstack in Stockholm, Sweden. In2003, Fjellman was awarded an Honorary Diploma from theJutta Cuny-Franz Foundation. Her work is in the collection ofthe Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Rohss Museum of Artsand Crafts, Goteburg and the Swedish Glass Museum,Vaxjo. hem.bredband.net/frifja/inledningeng.html

Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen and Jasen JohnsenKaren Willenbrink-Johnsen b .1960, Cincinnati, Ohio. KarenWillenbrink-Johnsen was a vital part of the William Morristeam at Pilchuck Glass School for two decades, and hastaught more than 50 workshops in glass art throughout theworld. Jasen Johnsen makes handcrafted specialty glasstools, engineered from his years of experiences as a co-gaffer and studio technician at Pilchuck. Their work is shownin galleries and museums across the U.S., including a recentacquisition by the Tacoma Art Museum. www.willen-brinkjohnsen.com

Dafna Kaffemanb. 1972, Jerusalem, Israel. Dafna Kaffeman specialized inglass at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, where she earned herM.F.A. Kaffeman received a scholarship to Pilchuck fromDale and Doug Anderson in 2002. Her work is shown inEurope and the United States and is in the collection of theAmerican Glass Museum as well as in private collections.The Association of Israel's Decorative Arts has representedDafna at SOFA Chicago and recently her work has beenexhibited at Heller Gallery in New York. www.dafnakaffe-man.com

Beth Lipmanb. 1971, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Beth Lipman earned aB.F.A. from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in1994. In 2006, she received the UrbanGlass Award for New

Talent and has completed several artist-in-residence pro-grams, including The Studio at the Corning Museum ofGlass in Corning, New York. She has taught at the Pratt FineArts Center at New York University, the Parsons School ofDesign and the Bard Graduate Center, all in New York City.Since 2005 she has served as the Arts/Industry coordinatorof the artist-in-residence program at the John Michael KohlerArts Center. www.bethlipman.com

Sibylle Perettib. 1964, Mulheim-Ruhr, Germany. Sibylle Peretti was trainedas a glass designer at the School for Glass Making inZweisel, Germany. She studied sculpture and painting at theAcademy of Fine Arts in Cologne, where she received herMFA In 1997 she received the Raphael Founders prize.Together with Stephen Paul Day, she was awarded a WarholGrant for artist residency at Penland School of Crafts. Herwork can be seen at the Corning Museum, New York; theAmerican Glass Museum, and many museums in Europe.She lives and works in New Orleans, and Cologne,Germany. www.hellergallery.com

Marc Petrovicb. 1967, Cleveland, Ohio. Petrovic received his B.F.A. in1991 from the Cleveland Institute of Art. His work has beenexhibited throughout the United States, Canada and Japan.He is represented in numerous public and private collectionsincluding the Racine Art Museum, WisconsinI; TucsonMuseum of Art, Arizona; The Mint Museums, North Carolina;and the Niijima Museum of Glass in Japan. www.marcpetro-vic.com

Jane Rosenb. 1950, New York, New York. Jane Rosen received aBachelor of Arts degree from New York University in 1972and attended the Art Students League in 1975. Rosen'sworks are collected by notable collections around the world,including The Brooklyn Museum, Scottsdale Museum of Art,Mitsubishi Corporation, Luso American Foundation and theUS Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia. The Pilchuck Glass Schoolhonored her in 1999 as an Artist in Residence.www.janerosen.com

Judith Schaechterb. 1961, Gainesville, Florida. Judith Schaechter graduatedfrom the Rhode Island School of Design in 1983. She is therecipient of many grants, including two National Endowmentfor the Arts Fellowships and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Herwork is in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art,the Fine Art Museum of San Francisco, the Museum of Artsand Design in New York, the Corning Museum of Glass, theRenwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, the Victoriaand Albert Museum in London, and numerous private collec-tions. Judith has taught at the Pilchuck Glass School inSeattle, Rhode Island School of Design, the University of theArts, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Arts. www.judithschaechter.com

Kiki Smithb. 1954 Nuremberg, Germany. Kiki Smith enrolled atHartford Art School in Connecticut in 1974 but dropped outeighteen months later. Smith's work has been shown innumerous one-person exhibitions including the CorcoranGallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Whitechapel Art Gallery,London, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Canada, theModern Art Museum, Texas; the Irish Museum of Modern Art,Dublin; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden,Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. and The Museumof Modern Art, New York. In 2000, the Skowhegan School ofPainting and Sculpture awarded Smith with their prestigiousSkowhegan Medal for Sculpture. She was elected to theAmerican Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, in 2005,and most recently, the Rhode Island School of Design hon-ored her with the Athena Award for Excellence inPrintmaking. Smith's work can be seen in public collectionsaround the world. www.pbs.org/art21/artists/smith/index.html

Tim Tateb. 1960, Washington, DC. Tim Tate is the Co-founder,Creative Director and Marketing Director of the WashingtonGlass Studio. He is a sculptor who has been working inglass, steel, concrete and ceramics since 1989. He oversawa glass casting production studio in New Orleans for threeyears. His work is included in the permanent collections ofthe Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Mint Museum,the University of Richmond Art Museum and the University ofVirginia Art Museum. www.timtateglass.com

Mark Zirpelb. 1956, Portland, Oregon. Mark Zirpel received a B.F.A. indrawing from the University of Alaska in 1985 and an M.F.A.in Fine Arts Print Making from San Francisco Art Institute. Hehas been the print studio coordinator at Pilchuck for over adecade. Zirpel's work print and glasswork is shown national-ly. He has taught in University and short-course programsfrom Alaska to Scotland. www.bullseyegallery.com

Special thanks to all of the artists in the exhibition and their respective gal-leries, especially Traver Gallery, Heller Gallery, Galleri Grønlund and ClaireOliver Gallery. Thanks to Bill Fick, John and Colleen Kotelly, and Paul andSara Monroe. Additional thanks to Suzanne Mastracco and Andrew Fineand the Art of Glass 2 committees and sponsors; Cindy and Rod Rodriguezand Al Ward of Bay Mechanical; Dave Jester and Rick Hughes of MarlynDevelopment; and the entire CAC staff.

Curated by Ragan Cole-Cunningham, director of exhibitions and educationwith Katya Heller, Heller Gallery, NY serving as project advisor.

GENE KOSS: OUTDOOR SCULPTURES

Gene Koss is a New Orleans-based sculptor who uses steeland glass to create monumental works. The TulaneProfessor, who started the University's glass program almost30 years ago, now presents awe-inspiring outdoor workswhose material combinations point to issues surroundingarchitecture, engineering, agriculture and the environment.

CAC discovered Koss' work approximately one year agowhile researching potential artists for an outdoor sculptureshow. The landscaping for the Museum's Jessica Glasserand Larry Mednick Sculpture Garden was complete and itwas time to slot work in the space. We studied many artists,but it was Koss' work that resonated with the staff and Boardof Trustees due in part to its unusual nature. Trips to NewOrleans to visit the artist's studio were scheduled and a nicedialogue began.

Koss grew up in Mindoro, Wisconsin, a small dairy town inthe Coulee Region of the State. His father was a farmer andimparted the ideals of the physically laborious and disci-plined work-ethic needed for agriculture. At this time Koss

was surrounded by machinery. Plows, threshers and silosdotted the landscape and their form and function mesmer-ized Koss and this is evidenced in his current work.

Utilizing his blue-collar roots by constructing steel armaturesand supports, Koss marries the thick material with the moreethereal fluidity and transparency of glass. In Bridge, 1995,Koss creates a bridge-like armature with steel supports oneither side. From the implied steel arc, two chain-links sus-pend one large I-beam that is lit from within by neon andcovered with panels of cast glass. Working with serial castglass parts to enlarge scale, and combining these elementswith iron and neon, he has raised glass sculpture to therealm of public art.1 Simultaneously Koss raises humanitari-an issues regarding power, structure and well-being, so theworks are not strictly a processed-based feat, rather thereare larger concepts at play.

1 "No Pedestals", Glass & Iron, Lew Thomas, Contemporary Art Center ofNew Orleans, 1993.

Special thanks to Gene Koss for his hard work and dedication to the proj-ect. Additional thanks to Suzanne Mastracco and Andrew Fine and the Artof Glass 2 committees and sponsors; Randy Sutton and Waterfront MarineConstruction; Barry Drude; Chris Carpenter Sr. and Chris Carpenter Jr. ofIndependent Lighting; and Tom Hitt and Hitt Electric.

Gene Koss, Bridge, 1995. Three tons of cast glass and two tons of steel. Photo by Kyla Hurt.

PROGRAMMINGExtended museum hours Tuesdays, 10am-9pm starting May 5.

Special Highlight Tours offered at 7pm each Tuesday evening duringextended hours and Sundays at 1pm and 2pm. Get insight on the historyof glassblowing, glass-making techniquies and artist biographies. Startson Tuesday, May 5. Free with admission.

Dante Marioni Gallery Talk and Catalogue SigningFriday, April 24, 10am-noon $10 admission includes free catalogue! Marioni offers remarks and leadsguest through his exhibition, "Form, Color and Pattern." Artist will sign cat-alogues at a small reception following the walk-through.

Kids Master ClassSaturday, May 910am-12:30pm (ages 6-8) and 1-3:30pm (ages 9-11)$45, CAC Members onlyWith the assistance of local artist Ali Rogan, each child will experimentwith clay mold making techniques to create personalized cast glass hand-prints, which will be fired and displayed at CAC through the duration of Artof Glass 2. Families can pick up artwork at the end of August. Visitwww.cacv.org or call 757.425.0000 x 29 for details.

High Craft vs. Fine Art PanelThursday, June 4, 5:30-7:30pm, Free with Museum admission.Moderator Linda McGreevy of ODU prompts panel with questions to facili-tate a lively dialogue regarding glass art. When is it strictly craft or can itbe fine art? Panelists are Jack Wax of VCU, Katya Heller of Heller Gallery,and Ali Rogan, local educator and glass artist.

Dance Your Glass OffJune 5, 8-11pm, $25/person. Sponsorships available. Drinks and dancing against a dazzling backdrop of glass art. Tickets online: www.cacv.org.

FREE Family FestSunday, July 19, noon-4pmFree admissionFamilies receive free admission to the galleries and participate in a hands-on project inspired by Art of Glass 2 exhibitions. Enjoy complimentaryrefreshments and the opportunity to watch a regional glass artist workingwith glass.

Hank Murta Adams Gallery Talk and Catalogue SigningFriday, August 7, 5:30-7:30pm$10 admission includes free catalogue! Adams leads visitors through hiscurrent exhibit, offering remarks about his artwork and the creativeprocess. Catalogue signing at reception following walk-through.

Hank Murta Adams Master ClassSaturday, August 8, 10am-1pm, $45, CAC Members onlyAdams provides class with first hand experience with glass making tech-niques, utilizing an on-site hot shop. Class limited to 15 CAC members.Call 757.425.0000 x.29 for information on membership or class registra-tion.

Hot Shop Saturday August 8, 1pm-4pm; August 15 & 22, 10am-4pmFree with Museum admissionThe OFF CENTER GLASS traveling hot shop, a scaled-down version of atraditional glassblowing studio, demonstrates a wide variety of glassblow-ing techniques. Watch live demonstrations and learn about glassblowing!

FOR MORE INFORMATIONon regional Art of Glass 2 programs,visit www.artofglass2.com

Art of Glass 2 logo image based on workdesigned and made by Lino Tagliapietra.

Present your CAC ticket stub for $2 off admission atthe Chrysler Museum of Art and Virginia Arts FestivalTicket Office during Art of Glass 2!

SPONSORS

SPECIAL THANKSSuzanne Mastracco, Andrew Fine and the

Art of Glass 2 Steering CommitteeCindy and Rod Rodriguez and Al Ward of Bay MechanicalDave Jester and Rick Hughes of Maryln DevelopmentRandy Sutton of Waterfront Marine Construction Tom Hitt of Hitt ElectricChris Carpenter of Independent Lighting Gail and Scott Higgs Barry Drude Norfolk International Airport Jim Armbruster, exhibit designer

Gallery Hours:Tuesday 10am-8pmWednesday-Friday 10am-5pmSaturday 10am-4pmSunday 12-4pmMonday closed

Admission is $7 adults, $5 students/seniors/militaryCAC members and children under 4 admitted free.

2200 Parks Ave | Virginia Beach, VA 23451757.425.0000 | www.cacv.org

The Contemporary Art Center of Virginia is funded in part bythe citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City ofVirginia Beach Arts & Humanities Commission, and by theVirginia Commission for the Arts, National Endowment for theArts, Business Consortium for Arts Support and The NorfolkFoundation.