Behind the Glass

Home

Virtual Journeys into the Collection: Waiting for the Moment of Spectacle

This recurring blog series will feature virtual gallery walks with staff members from The Corning Museum of Glass. Everyone at our Museum interacts with the collection in different ways depending on the job they do and the perspective they bring. Hear from fascinating people and learn about their favorite objects as they provide a virtual peek at some of the treasures in our collection—and make plans to come see them in person when we reopen! This next comes from Nick Simons, Guest Services Supervisor.

Witnessing the moment of ‘spectacle’ is one of the most rewarding aspects of working with our guests at The Corning Museum of Glass. The reactions to spectacle can be very different; some people gasp, some people laugh, and some focus intently. Other times you will hear someone say, “Hey, come look at this!” or, “Whoa!” Likewise, the pieces that elicit these responses are just as diverse: some are large in scale, others are more delicate; some pieces have extravagant color schemes, while others are more minimalist. As a member of the Guest Services Team, I find myself privileged to directly interact with the Museum’s guests and share in their reactions to our immersive collection. Here are some of my favorite pieces that never fail to cause spectacle.

Virtual Journeys into the Collection: Through a Social Media Eye

Museums can be an incredible place of respite and peace, even for museum workers. At The Corning Museum of Glass, I am notorious for my daily walks through the collections. Even though my job is digitally based, I am constantly inspired by the works just upstairs from my office. Nothing is better than hearing my footsteps resonate through the cavernous Contemporary Art + Design Galleries during an early morning walk and having time alone to study the objects. Or to catch snippets of a discussion between visitors as they discuss a piece on a busy day. Every time I walk through the galleries, I learn something new! I frequently take pictures of details of objects or labels, walk back to my office, and start drafting new social media posts. It’s always delightful to share the cool things I learn with the world on our social media channels.

An Oft Forgotten Legacy of Flameworking: The Lost Art of Nevers Figurines

As a flameworking demonstrator at The Corning Museum of Glass, I am often asked how far back into history the process goes. Our guests see us working with a futuristic-looking over-sized blowtorch, and they cannot help but assume the process is a recent development. This could not be much further from the truth, however, as some of the oldest objects in our collections possess details that suggest a small, focused flame must have been used. There are a few periods throughout flameworking history that greatly highlight the potential of using a focused flame, but one, in particular, grabs my attention the most.

This Pendant in the Shape of a Man’s Head (68.1.15, possibly Tunisia/Carthage 400-500 BCE; dimensions overall H: 3 cm, W: 1.6 cm, D: 1.6 cm, Diam (max): 2.8 cm) exhibits several details that indicate the use of techniques similar to what flameworkers would use today. The use of stacked dots for the eyes, the white dot on the forehead, the addition of small amounts of material for the nose and lips as well as the small, mandrel-wound beads that make up the base of the headdress all suggest that a small flame would have been used.

From the middle of the 1500s through the end of the 1700s, there was a movement of sculptural flameworking throughout the Loire Valley of Central France. It centered around the little town of Nevers, so many historians refer to the work produced there as Nevers figurines or Verres de Nevers.

Extra, Extra! Get Your Blown Away Extras!

Could there be a better time to discover Blown Away, the hottest show on Netflix? Oh, you already have! Well, then now’s the perfect time to ‘re-binge’. Is that a thing? It should be!

Blown Away now streaming on Netflix — *Blown Away* is streaming on Netflix.

Season one of Blown Away has 10 thrilling 25-minute episodes positively bursting with excitement, talent, sweat, and just a little competitive bickering. Not to mention, quite a bit of broken glass. But we know you’ll be hooked as, week by week, the contestants get whittled down to one deserving winner, crowned “Best in Blow!”

And, did you know that, like any good DVD, we have plenty of extras to keep you entertained! From interviews to behind-the-scenes footage to science experiments exploring the nature of glass, we’ve got it all in one easy-to-find place: our YouTube channel.

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!