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Nascent: A Collaborative Exhibition between The Studio and 171 Cedar Arts Center

On an early morning walk in Corning, New York, there is a warm, electric glow likely to catch your eye on the corner of East First and Cedar Street. The light comes from a neon installation by James Ronner and is part of a stunning gallery exhibition, Nascent, in the Houghton Gallery at 171 Cedar Arts Center.

*A Paperclip: An International Symbol of Solidarity also used by MacGyver* by James Ronner. Photo Credit Erica Simon

Upon entering the space, it is surprising to see that those dynamic neon paperclips are reflected on the surface of William Gudenrath’s precise, Venetian-style reticello glassware. An airy, precarious flameworked installation by Stephen Brucker, Illusion of Inclusion, is juxtaposed with the exuberant colors and inviting texture of Christa Westbrook’s blown sculptures, Yellow Jellyfish and Red Coral.

The Studio announces 2020 Residencies

Today, The Studio announced the 2020 Artists-in-Residence recipients: twelve artists from around the world who will each spend one month at The Studio researching and experimenting with new techniques to further their work. Included in this group is the first recipient of the newly established Burke Residency created in partnership between The Studio and the Museum of Art and Design (MAD). Additionally, two artists and two scholars have been selected for the David Whitehouse Research Residency for Artists and the David Whitehouse Research Residency for Scholars, respectively. These recipients will spend up to three weeks in the Rakow Library utilizing the vast holdings to inform their practice or area of research. During their time in Corning, each resident will provide a public Lunchtime Lecture describing their inspirations and work at The Studio and the Rakow Library.

New this year: The Burke Residency

The Corning Museum of Glass is going MAD! In partnership with the Museum of Art and Design, The Studio of The Corning Museum of Glass is introducing the Burke Residency. This residency will enable one artist from the Burke Prize exhibition at MAD to use the facilities and resources at The Studio to further their artistic exploration. The first recipient of the Burke Residency is Lauren Kalman, a contemporary American visual artist from Detroit, Michigan. Her residency will begin on April 30.

Journeying to the Moon in a Suit of Glass

It all began with a small spark.

In the normal mix of air that we breathe every day, this might have caused some concern but would not have been especially hazardous. But this particular spark occurred within the 100% oxygen atmosphere of the Apollo 1 crew capsule. During a pre-flight testing routine on January 27, 1967, an electrical short set off a fire that consumed the oxygen and the many flammable components inside the cabin, proving fatal to the three astronauts on board – Roger Chaffee, “Gus” Grissom, and Ed White. This small spark brought the Apollo program to a halt and would lead NASA to see glass as an essential part of crew safety. [1]

Apollo 1 Crew (left to right) “Gus” Grissom, Ed White, Roger Chaffee).Courtesy National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons — Apollo 1 Crew (left to right) “Gus” Grissom, Ed White, Roger Chaffee. Courtesy National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons

David Landau

On the small island of San Giorgio Maggiore just opposite St Mark’s Square sits Le Stanze del Vetro, ‘The Glass Rooms’. A joint initiative between The Cini Foundation and Swiss-based, non-profit foundation Pentagram Stiftung, Le Stanze is an internationally recognized gallery of 20th Century and contemporary glass. Here you might find Le Stanze’s founder, David Landau, walking the beautiful daylit rooms or strategizing the next exhibition. With an unparalleled private collection of approximately 2,500 glass art works by Venini, a prominent Murano glassworks, Landau is a modern glass enthusiast with a passion for sharing his collection with the world.

Originally born in Israel, Landau moved to Italy when he was just five years old and undertook his schooling there which culminated in his becoming a medical doctor. A dramatic change of direction saw him later move to the United Kingdom to study Art History at Oxford University. While in England his interests grew more and more diverse.

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!