Behind the Glass

The year 2019 marks the 50^th anniversary of Apollo 11. This historic mission landed men on the Moon for the very first time and then safely returned them to Earth to tell the tale. To honor this milestone, The Corning Museum of Glass has developed an exhibit called Journey to the Moon: How Glass Got Us There which showcases the role of glass in the lunar landing. The exhibit displays samples of the same glass materials used in the space suits (to protect the astronauts) and spacecraft (to insulate the command module), as well as a glassy lunar meteorite. But there are many other stories we didn’t have space to tell! Here are some of those lesser-known stories.

Buzz Aldrin on the Moon — Buzz Aldrin walking on the Moon during Apollo 11

Many of the systems onboard the Lunar Module relied on computers and high-tech equipment, so you might not realize how critical it was for the astronauts to perform their own calculations during the lunar landing. The Lunar Module used an instrument called an altimeter to measure the altitude above the Moon’s surface. Earth-based altimeters in airplanes do this by measuring the atmospheric pressure. However, the Moon has no atmosphere, so the Lunar Module’s altimeter worked with radar. The radar altimeter solved the problem of a lack of atmosphere on the Moon, but it was unreliable for altitudes above 30,000 feet. To know how far above the Moon they were, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had to determine their altitude themselves.

The exhibition New Glass Now, on view at The Corning Museum of Glass — The exhibition *New Glass Now*, on view at The Corning Museum of Glass

The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) is presenting diverse programming dedicated to contemporary glass and celebrating the artists and designers who are pushing boundaries in the field. Today, the Museum announced two major new commissions by artists Spencer Finch, widely admired for his exploration of phenomenological experience, and David Colton, a gifted flameworker celebrated for his sculptural, abstract glass pipes. CMoG also announced the appointment of two leading artists who will be in residence at the Museum this fall and next winter. Deborah Czeresko, the winner of Netflix’s Blown Away, will be in residence from October 14–17, as part of the prize package for the glassblowing competition series. Beth Lipman was awarded the seventh Specialty Glass Residency, a collaboration between Corning Incorporated and The Corning Museum of Glass, which will begin in 2020. The Museum will also host its 58th Annual Seminar on Glass on October 18–19, which in conjunction with the current exhibition New Glass Now, will focus on contemporary glass.

Spencer Finch Commission

In the first half of 2020, CMoG will install The Secret Life of Glass, a site-specific, large-scale installation that the Museum commissioned from renowned, contemporary artist Spencer Finch, whose multidisciplinary practice explores the beauty and complexity of everyday moments. To create this work, the Museum captured thermal images of the exterior glass curtain wall joining the Museum’s Contemporary Art + Design Wing, designed by architect Thomas Phifer, and Innovations Center over the course of one winter day. In examining the data, Finch homed in on an image captured at 4:30 in the afternoon, in which the range of temperatures experienced by the glass formed the pattern of a wave. Using this fleeting afternoon moment as his starting point, Finch translated the temperatures by assigning colors—inspired by the Sennelier palette favored by Matisse—to each four-degree temperature shift. The result is a poetic interpretation of “the secret life” of window glass as it is exposed to the interplay of sunlight and air on that winter’s afternoon. The finished 12- by 28-foot work, comprised of 16 (3- by 7-foot) fused glass panels set into aluminum framework, will be installed just inside the windows whose “secret life” they reveal.

Spencer Finch (center) collaborating on the fabrication of The Secret Life of Glass at Bullseye Studio of Bullseye Glass Co. in Portland, Oregon. — Spencer Finch (center) collaborating on the fabrication of The Secret Life of Glass at Bullseye Studio of Bullseye Glass Co. in Portland, Oregon

Four months after the release of Blown Away, we caught up with some of the contestants to find out how their lives have changed in the wake of the hit Netflix show, and to ask… what’s next?

What has the success of Blown Away meant for you?

“I have newfound notoriety created by the success of Blown Away. This has given me an opportunity to step up to the next level in my career. The challenge is to translate that into something more permanent. Blown Away has been a springboard for me to redefine my artistic goals and work strategically on achieving them. A door has opened for my career and to continue to progress I need things that are longer-lasting like gallery shows, and a way to keep making art such as residencies. There has been a remarkable buzz too. I’ve felt so connected to my new fans, and very supported by them and their words, it’s so powerful in my life.” Deborah Czeresko – New York City, New York

Deb Czeresko working in the Amphitheater Hot Shop at CMoG during her Blown Away winners residency

Richard Price, the editor and head of publications for The Corning Museum of Glass announced his retirement earlier this month after serving for nearly three and a half decades with the Museum.

As the Head of Publications, Rick, as he was better known, edited editions of the Museum’s prestigious Journal of Glass Studies, Notable Acquisitions, and the contemporary glass exhibition-in-print, New Glass Review—all annual publications.

Additionally, Rick has edited exhibitions catalogs and other scholarly publications, including Glass from World’s Fairs, 1851-1904 (1986) during his early tenure, Drawing upon Nature: Studies for the Blaschkas’ Glass Models (2007), Collecting Contemporary Glass: Art and Design after 1990 (from The Corning Museum of Glass) (2014), and the forthcoming publication, In Sparkling Company: Reflections on Glass in the 18th-Century British World, a companion piece to the Museum’s major exhibition in 2020.

This small cross-section alone represents the breadth of knowledge and specialties that Rick has fixed his attention on over the years.

Rick has worked with scores of curators, scholars, conservators, scientists, and librarians during his tenure at The Corning Museum of Glass. He is widely recognized throughout the arts and scholarly communities as the go-to editor for all things pertaining to glass and glassmaking.

Respected by colleagues past and present and held in high esteem by Museum members as well as friends and family, a request for testimonials that speak to his character and extensive career was enthusiastically met by all.

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.

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.

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!

Reflections on Apollo

CMoG Continues its Year of Celebrating Contemporary Artists Working in Glass with Major Commissions and Artist Residencies

Embracing Netflix Fame: What the Blown Away Contestants Are Up To Now

What has the success of Blown Away meant for you?

Rick Price, a legacy in print

Featured News

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

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

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

The Maestro’s Farewell Tour: Corning Celebrates Lino Tagliapietra’s Impact on Glass