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Black Mirror: Anna Riley and Justin Ginsberg Collaborate on a Unique Journey into the Past

No, this isn’t an episode of the dystopian British TV show Black Mirror, although an investigation into the original 17th-century method for taking a selfie certainly sounds surreal enough. Rather, this is glass innovation at it’s best, something Corning is renowned for.

This past fall, glassblowers Anna Riley and Justin Ginsberg descended on Corning for a unique collaborative residency to research the Claude mirror—a dark, pocket-sized, reflective object used by artists more than 400 years ago. The Studio‘s Instructor Collaborative Residency is an invitational opportunity for artists who have taught an intensive course in Corning in the past five years to develop new work together. Working from the belief that attention is a creative medium, Riley and Ginsberg used their two week residency to create a series of handmade glass devices inspired by the Claude mirror. The devices are inherently beautiful objects, but also serve as modes for focusing attention for viewing and interpreting the world around us.

Following the completion of their work, Riley and Ginsberg gave us the lowdown on everything they learned after looking into the mirror.

Pinkmania: Decorating Barbie’s Bar and CMoG’s Galleries in a Symbolic and Controversial Color

Whether you loved the summer blockbuster movie Barbie or hated it, no one can deny that pink is THE couleur du jour of 2023. The movie catapulted a new wave of pink into fashion and design, from clothes, accessories, furniture, and yes, even glass!

Klimchi’s glassware can be seen on the Barbie set alongside star Margot Robbie.
Source: YouTube Architectural Digest, Klimchi

If you saw the movie, did you notice the pink glass on the Barbie bar? To find the perfect pink glass vessels to feature in the film, Warner Brothers looked to the Czech Republic, a country with one of the world’s richest glassmaking histories dating back to the Middle Ages. After approaching the Czech glass company, Klimchi, they chose vessels from the firm’s Hobnail product line in Rosaline pink.

Five Funky Pieces to Check Out on ‘National Get Funky Day’

Believe it or not, National Get Funky Day is a real holiday, and it’s on October 5th. That’s this week!

Here at the Museum, we have so many pieces that have funky colors, shapes, and details. In honor of National Get Funky Day, we are highlighting five funky pieces from our collection that you can come check out to get into the spirit of the holiday. So, let’s dive in!

The Campana brother’s *Sphere Chandelier*.

Sphere Chandelier (2015.3.27), designed by Humberto and Fernando Campana, 2015

Designed by the well-known Campana brothers from Brazil, this fun and funky chandelier hangs in the Contemporary Art + Design Wing of the Museum. It allows guests to look up into the ceiling of the gallery and be met with a mesmerizing piece of art hanging above them. This piece consists of mold-blown elements, and it also features many colorful details made of glass cane. Belonging to the Campana brothers’ ‘Candy’ collection of home furniture, we can all agree that this piece is a true treat to look at.

Halfway Across the World: The Journey to Glass Education

Mia Esteban is an aspiring young glass artist from the Philippines. A hobbyist fashion designer, Mia was pulled in a new direction when a chance encounter introduced her to the world of glass. Armed with a passion for learning, Mia crossed the world this summer to begin her glass education at The Studio of The Corning Museum of Glass, where she studied the theories and practices of flameworking and coldworking.

Mia Esteban practices flameworking at The Studio.

Before returning home, Mia was kind enough to join me for a conversation about her experience pursuing glassmaking, her plans for what’s next, and what motivates her to keep pushing forward.

“I’ve always been into the arts. I love everything about fashion. I still visit Vogue Runway to see the newest collections of every designer and what they’re taking inspiration from. But since there are so many people in the space, it’s so hard to differentiate yourself,” Mia said. “Because of that, I was in a conundrum where I didn’t know what my next steps should be. Then, I saw this piece by a designer brand called Coperni, and it was this glass bag. It was just art. It was so cool to see fashion expressed in a different medium. It was so new to me. I started researching glass, and I ended up becoming friends with Anna Orlina.”

New Glass Review 43: An Outside Perspective on the Best of Contemporary Glass

Get excited and check the mail, because New Glass Review returns this month for its 43rd issue.

An annual exhibition-in-print, New Glass Review features 100 of the most timely, innovative projects in glass produced during the year. Artworks include sculptures, vessels, installations, and other works in glass by emerging and established artists.

A flagship publication of The Corning Museum of Glass since 1980, New Glass Review is a cyclical reintroduction into the world of contemporary glass and the artists who inhabit it; artists who continually push the boundaries of the material and the limits of their expression.

Following an open call for submissions that receives hundreds of entries every year from countries across the world, New Glass Review is curated by the Museum’s curator of postwar and contemporary glass and a changing panel of guest curators. While the search for the Museum’s next contemporary curator was underway this past summer, Samantha De Tillio was invited to lead the selection process. De Tillo was joined by Davin K. Ebanks, Kim Harty, and Kimberly Thomas.

Amy Schwartz & William Gudenrath Honored with 2023 James Renwick Alliance for Craft Award

The Studio’s Amy Schwartz and William (Bill) Gudenrath were honored on Saturday, May 6 in Washington DC with the James Renwick Alliance for Craft (JRA) Distinguished Craft Educator Award for excellence and innovation in education. The biennial award was celebrated at the JRA Spring Craft Weekend with a Symposium, Gala, and Awards Brunch. Recognized for their influence on future artists and significant contributions to American education in the craft field, Amy and Bill’s selection as honorees was the first time in the ceremony’s 20-year history that both makers and educators were honored at the same time.

William (Bill) Gudenrath and Amy Schwartz with their award at the Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC, May 6, 2023. Photo courtesy of the James Renwick Alliance.

Amy and Bill are the latest on a long list of distinguished honorees—the JRA Award has recognized some of the most influential craft artists in American history. This year, the other nominees included ceramic artist, social activist, and spoken word poet Roberto Lugo (the youngest artist to ever receive the Master of the Medium award); furniture maker Kristina Madsen; and curator, quilter, author, art historian, and aerospace engineer Carolyn Mazloomi.

CMoG Named One of the “7 Glass Wonders of the World”

Capping a truly momentous year for glass, The Corning Museum of Glass has achieved a new distinction: being named one of the “7 Glass Wonders of the World.”

The announcement was made during the closing festivities of the United Nations International Year of Glass (IYOG) 2022. The year officially concluded with a Conference and Ceremony at the University of Tokyo, Japan, on December 8-9, which was attended by our very own President and Executive Director Karol Wight. This event was followed by an official debriefing held at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on December 14.

Lino Tagliapietra in the Museum’s Amphitheater Hot Shop, May 13, 2022.

Lino Tagliapietra may be retiring, but not before one final visit to The Corning Museum of Glass. Last weekend was a monumental one for Lino, the glassblowers and staff at the Museum, and all the guests who filled the Amphitheater Hot Shop to see the Maestro at work during what will be his final performance in Corning.

To celebrate Lino’s enduring legacy, we asked those lucky enough to know and work with him, to describe the impact he has made on the glass world. To no surprise, the response was fervent and unanimous: Lino’s impact is, and will always be, extraordinary!