GLASS SHINES HERE “Hot Color, Cool Glass” continues through July 27 at the Arkansas Arts Center, Ninth and Commerce streets, Little Rock. Hours: 10 a. m.-5 p. m. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a. m.-5 p. m. Sunday (501 ) 372-4000 www. arkarts. com Zarks Fine Design Gallery, 67 Spring St., Eureka Springs Hours: 9: 30 a. m.-5: 30 p. m. Monday-Sunday (479 ) 253-2626 or (877 ) 540-9805 www. zarksgallery. com
River Market Art Space, 301 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock Hours: 10 a. m.-5 p. m. Tuesday-Saturday (501 ) 324-2787 www. rivermarket artspace. com
Glass art is heating up in popularity at homes, galleries and museums in Arkansas and nationwide.
“Glass was a house item; it has gone back and forth as a vehicle for artisans to make beautiful objects,” says Anne Gochenour, curator of contemporary craft at the Arkansas Arts Center, which is hosting the exhibit “Hot Color Cool Glass.”
“It was a form of artistry in ancient Egypt; it’s had definite phases in history,” she says. “Even if it was functional, it was art because it was exceptionally beautiful.”
Using glass as a medium for sculptures emerged in the United States in the 1960 s. The “studio glass” movement was distinct from factorymade glass — it was glass blown solely to create art.
In 1962, artist Harvey Littleton discovered that glass could be made at lower temperatures and in smaller furnaces. Hot shops — glass-blowing studios — started cropping up around the country. Artists such as Ben Moore, Richard Marquis and Dale Chihuly soon began traveling abroad to learn about glass making. They brought back Venetian techniques that helped mold American glass art.
Called “the most prominent glass artist in the country” by Santa Fean magazine, the Tacoma, Wash.-born Chihuly is well-known for popularizing glass art. He began working with glass in 1965 and gained experience at the University of Wisconsin and the Rhode Island School of Design. Selected as a Fulbright Scholar in 1968, his large, contemporary glass sculptures are famous for their unique style and form. “Chihuly’s pieces are big, colorful and outrageous,” says Sara Armellini, owner of Zarks Fine Design Gallery in Eureka Springs, which has an extensive glass collection. “You can’t really afford or fit them in homes, but they definitely make a statement.”
GROWING IN POPULARITY Since the 1960 s, glass has been growing in popularity with galleries and museums. The Tacoma Museum of Glass, which is dedicated completely to glass art, opened in 2002. The Toledo Museum of Art added its famed glass pavilion in 2006. Constructed nearly entirely of glass, the pavilion is home to a collection of more than 5, 000 glass pieces.
The Arkansas Arts Center’s “Hot Color Cool Glass” exhibit has more than 120 pieces. The first section, “Sonja Blomdahl,” was organized by the Montgomery (Ala. ) Museum of Fine Art. It showcases 35 of Blomdahl’s works, known for their wonderfully contrasting colors and “incalmo” style, achieved by joining two or more glass bubbles, which often results in dazzling contrasts.
The second and third parts of the exhibit were organized by the Arts Center. “The Glass Century” focuses on the evolution of glass art and features work by Louis C. Tiffany and Chihuly. Tiffany, who died in 1933, is associated with the art nouveau style and is well-known for his stained-glass windows and lamps. “Beyond Blown Glass” explores blown, cast, fused, and constructed contemporary glass art. This section has a dress made by Karen LaMonte that is 58 inches tall and formed of cast glass.
The pieces shown in the “Hot Color Cool Glass” exhibit are borrowed from collectors, other museums and from the art center’s permanent collection. The exhibit includes a glass chandelier made by Tiffany, one of only two such glass chandeliers on display in U. S. museums.
The Arts Center featured an instillation by Chihuly in 2000. Enthusiastic feedback from visitors inspired the museum to have a second glass exhibit. “Hot Color Cool Glass” is on display through July 27.
Zarks features work from 65 glass artists. The gallery — known for its jewelry, glass and pottery — has been written about and reviewed in national publications such as American Style, Southern Living and The New York Times.
RAVING ABOUT GLASS Collectors of glass artwork appreciate its distinctive qualities. “Glass is so lively, bright, and colorful,” Armellini says. “Pottery just doesn’t have the life that glass does.” Gochenour agrees. “The collectors love [glass ]. It’s unique, transparent, and reacts wonderfully to light. The physical nature is appealing.”
A popular misconception is that glass art is too expensive for the average person to buy. Glass has many elegant properties, but it isn’t always outrageously priced.
Prices are determined by size, style, artist and amount of labor. Zarks has pieces ranging in price from $ 30 to $ 6, 000. There are glass ornaments that can be displayed year-round for $ 20 or less. One can find glass marble pieces for around $ 30.
There are many affordable glass objects in shops and galleries, department stores and specialty shops. Flea markets and antique stores are places for savvy collectors to search for bargains.
Armellini suggests that firsttime collectors focus on good craftsmanship and deal with a reputable gallery. She and her husband, Rick, have been selling glass for 21 years. Zarks carries work by Ed Pennebaker, a native Arkansan who lives near Osage. His style is sometimes compared to Chihuly’s, but his works are smaller and more affordable. Armellini suggests Pennebaker and Robert Eickholt as good names for new collectors to consider. Eickholt’s pieces range from $ 60 to $ 170. Pennebaker’s work is more expensive, ranging from $ 300 to $ 10, 000.
Pennebaker’s work and that of other glass artists such as Gary Carter and Hugh Erwin are available at the River Market ArtSpace, 301 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. Debra Wood, owner of Art-Space, has been selling glass art for more than six years. Wood travels throughout the state looking for new artists, and recently found two in Fayetteville. “Glass is such a mysterious art form — turning a glob of molten glass into a colorful piece of art that can also be functional is a true work of art,” she says. Glass objects in Wood’s shop sell for $ 18 to $ 9, 000.
HANDLE WITH CARE A glass collection must be cared for in a different manner than other art forms. Glass art is hand blown, and unlike factory-made glass, it is not tempered. This means it is delicate and more sensitive to sharp changes in temperature and rough handling. Glass should be hand-washed in lukewarm water. Ammonia, glass cleaner or white vinegar and water keep glass shiny. Soft towels should be used to dry glass, as paper towels can cause scratching.
If a vase is filled with flowers, the water should be changed daily. Using distilled water usually prevents stains, rings and spots; soaking in distilled white vinegar removes most stains. Baby oil can remove fingerprints.
Be wary of placing pieces in direct sunlight; dense glass can have the effect of a magnifying glass and could cause a fire.
Mary Ann Greenwood of Greenwood and Associates in Fayetteville, a glass collector and longtime Zarks customer, praises the gallery for its expertise.
“Zarks carries the same artists you’ll see in areas like Scottsdale, San Antonio and New Orleans,” Greenwood says. “They carry well-known artists, and it's nice to know we have that quality in Arkansas.”
Greenwood and her husband, Reed, have about 20 pieces placed throughout their home. She looks for color, form and workmanship, not pieces that match her home’s decor. Her collection features work by John Lotton, Dutch Schultze and Robert Kliss. She has pieces from cities around the United States, and as far as Venice, Italy.
“It’s fun to go into Sara and Rick’s shop and learn about glass. They are knowledgeable enough to tell you how it is made,” she says. “Glass complements other art; it’s interesting. We enjoy it, we just enjoy it.”
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