GlassNEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL Shards AMERICAN GLASS CLUB www.glassclub.org Founded 1933 A Non-Profit Organization Winter 2020 Museum of Arts and Design During the 1950s, leading up to the tool. As a result, artists brought the American studio glass movement, goblet-making tradition to the United artists began working with glass as a States. Shared in education and train- sculptural medium using warm tech- ing, it became a form through which niques such as casting or slumping. a myriad of complex techniques, such Glassblowing skills were used in as the use of canes—long, thin rods factory settings in the United States; of glass—to create various patterns however, artists who wanted to apply and illustrative treatments, could be these techniques in a studio setting had perfected. to start from scratch and learn how A portion of the Museum of Arts to work with the material. In 1962, and Design’s goblet collection is Harvey Littleton organized experi- currently on view and includes work mental glass workshops at the Toledo by such artists as Fred Birkhill, Dale Museum of Art, which led to an ex- Chihuly, Fritz Dreisbach, Joey Kirk- ploration of glass as a medium for the patrick and Flora Mace, Beth Lipman, individual artist. These workshops Marvin Lipofsky, and Richard Mar- spurred technical investigation by quis. The breadth of examples demon- American artists, craftspeople, and strates how the form has been used by Pink Flamingo, Reverse Goblet. scientists. However, much of the Fritz Dreisbach, 1992. studio glass artists to showcase not expertise gained by American artists only skill, but also humor. throughout the 1960s and 1970s re- unprecedented amount of information sulted from artistic exchanges with from the previously closed world of MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN Venetian glass maestros, such as Lino Venetian glassmaking became acces- 2 Columbus Circle Tagliapietra and Pino Signoretto. sible. Through these experiences New York, NY 11001 Such relationships led to residen- the goblet—an important form in (212) 299-7777 cies in Venetian factories, where an Venice—became a useful teaching www.madmuseum.org Special Gifts from the New Bedford Museum of Glass Visit the Museum Store, featuring NBMOG available. Thank you for unique and beautiful gift items includ- your support! ing both antique and contemporary Pairpoint fine crystal, art glass of all types, NEW BEDFORD MUSEUM chalice vase with bubble jewelry, glass animals, paperweights, OF GLASS ball connector, chandeliers and lamps, framed art, 427 County St. about 1930. Pairpoint cup plates, and more! All New Bedford, MA 02740 H. 11.5 inches. proceeds benefit the not-for-profit (508) 984-1666 Unusual teal turquoise mission of the New Bedford Museum www.nbmog.org color, perfect of Glass. Shipping and pick-up at condition. Glass Shards • Page 2 President’s Letter Dear friends, Toledo and it appears that it will not a small group will come together to As the year draws to a close, it is yet be safe to come together and meet discuss how we can share content and time to reflect on the past and prepare in May of 2021. raise funds in new ways. for the future. Many have faced chal- But the past year has also offered In 2021 we seek to not only sustain lenges in the year just past, as individ- opportunities to experiment with new the NAGC but strengthen and grow uals, or in their families, communities, ways of operating. Some of our Chap- the organization. Our members have and organizations. The NAGC is no ters have been meeting virtually and been resilient and imaginative in the different —2020 has been a year that hosting speakers and programs that face of adversity this past year. It bodes tested our organization, the chapters, might never have happened. They have well for the year ahead. I hope that and many of our members. opened those meetings to members glass has brought you some measure Several chapters had to suspend from other chapters, or even as here in of fellowship and a connection to meetings in March, and most have not Pittsburgh, other collector clubs, and others in 2020 and that it reminds been able to come together as a group welcomed new faces in the room. The us all of the importance of sustaining and meet in person since then. Some Board has found a new printer for our and sharing those things we value of our members have been unable publications that will save us several with our family and friends. Best to sustain their association with the thousand dollars in the coming year. wishes for a happy holiday and for group. And the National has faced A small group is researching a new peace and joy in the New Year. concerns about long-term sustain- website for the National that would ability and funding. In March we hopefully provide ways to build our Anne Madarasz cancelled our planned Seminar in visibility and increase our reach. Soon NAGC President Club and Chapter News WESTCHESTER GLASS CLUB Before the speaker began, however, Max and Kitty Erlacher in their new Glass-Zooming: Westchester Glass there was a surprise video “welcome” store on Market Street, in Corning, NY. Club’s Steuben Meeting from Max Erlacher, master engraver The Westchester Glass Club (WGC) of many fine pieces of Steuben glass. has the following Zoom meetings The Westchester Glass Club’s Max has been interviewed by James scheduled and open to anyone inter- October meeting featured Tom Felt Russell, president of WGC, and Susan ested: Dean Six at Blenko on January of the Museum of American Glass in Haller, WGC programs director, on a 12, the Smithsonian on February 9, West Virginia giving a “tour” of the recent visit to The Corning Museum and the Bergstrom Mahler Glass Mu- Martin Massman collection of Steuben of Glass. seum on March 23. glass. About 34 people attended, Tom gave a wonderful talk showing including members of the Cape Cod photographs of many Steuben pieces. James Russell Glass Club, the Founders Chapter, Afterwards, the Zoom meeting attend- President and the Carder Steuben Glass Club. ees were treated to more interviews of Westchester Glass Club AmazonSmile Can Benefit NAGC you to support your favorite charitable of your eligible purchases to the char- organization every time you shop, at itable organization of your choice. Amazon.com has established a pro- no cost to you. AmazonSmile is avail- You can choose from more than gram called AmazonSmile to help its able at smile.amazon.com on your 1,000,000 organizations to support.” customers raise funds for charitable web browser and can be activated in For more information about Amazon (IRS code) 501(c)(3) organizations of the Amazon Shopping app for iOS Smile, go to: https://smile.amazon.com their choice. The National American and Android phones. When you shop /gp/chpf/about/ref=smi_se_rspo_laas Glass Club is a 501(c)(3) organization at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact _aas. and included among those within the same low prices, vast selection and AmazonSmile program. convenient shopping experience as NAGC Webmaster According to Amazon’s web page: Amazon.com, with the added benefit “AmazonSmile is a simple way for that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% Glass Shards • Page 3 Explore Glass Advertising at Corning In Picture Perfect: Women in Vintage they could work, but definitely had American Glass Advertising, The Cor- money to spend. ning Museum of Glass Junior Curators Here, you’ll explore advertising delve into the ways glass advertise- techniques used to target female con- ments in the mid-1900s targeted female sumers, see advertisements and the consumers. corresponding glass tableware from With their contemporary point of three major glass companies, and dis- view, they explore the advertising cover the lasting societal pressures tactics aimed at American women, that women faced at this time. many of whom were let go from their jobs at the conclusion of World War II THE CORNING MUSEUM Advertisement so men returning from the war could OF GLASS from 1952 for Heisey glassware be hired in their place. Glass compa- One Museum Way in the Crystolite nies from this period directed their ads Corning, NY 14830 pattern. at these homemakers who may not (607) 937-5371 have had a lot of choice about where www.cmog.org Glasmuseet Denmark In their solo exhibition, open through April 2021, Walking in the Void, the American–Swiss couple Philip Baldwin and Monica Guggisberg turn their attention to some of the funda- mental issues of our time—the place of humanity, and indeed our planet, in the universe, and in geological history—and set them within the con- text of the challenges facing us today. The artists say: “As recent global events have shown, the fragility of our civilization has never been more apparent, and the need to find an alter- native way forward feels increasingly urgent. For all our scientific under- standing, we can’t help asking if we are missing what the ancients took for granted —a sense of meaning in they are especially recognized for their the universe—a way of thinking that mastery of battuto, an Italian technique they wove into their everyday exis- involving the cutting of the surface tence. Might such an overview help layer of the glass to reveal colored us through our current existential layers beneath. angst and locate a path out of this darkness?” GLASMUSEET EBELTOFT Through four decades, Baldwin Strandvejen 8 and Guggisberg have explored the DK-8400 Ebeltoft aesthetics of glass and created dis- Denmark tinctive contemporary sculptures in https://glasmuseet.dk their medium. Considered some of the world’s foremost international The Pilgrim’s Boat (with detail).