PREVIEWS OF WORKS FOR SALE AT UPCOMING SHOWS COAST TO COAST MAY 2015 ISSUE 115

WATCH 16 VIDEOS IN THIS ISSUE SEE PAGE 37 AMERICAN

COLLECTOR

Also Showcasing Glass, Ceramics & Wood

Cover AAC115.indd 1 4/3/15 10:39 AM SPECIES THE LAST COMMISSIONED COLLECTION BEFORE GLASS ARTIST WILLIAM MORRIS’ RETIREMENT IS NOW AT BERGSTROM!MAHLER MUSEUM OF GLASS

BY NICKI ESCUDERO

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" " ⁄ ! , 2004. x 7 " ⁄ ! , 2004. Glass, , 2004. Glass,

2 Species: Long- Native with Wrens Vase necked and Berries 10¼ x 8½ x 7½" 1 with Species: Vase Native Grove Tree Poplar 15 x 7 Glass, 2 GlassColumn_Nikki.indd 173 SPECIES or more than 25 years, William “I’m very happy in my life here,” says Stroemple in 2004. The collection, titled Morris spent his time in front of the Morris, 57. “It’s pretty isolated here, and Native Species, is currently at the Bergstrom- fire, as a pioneer of the glassblowing I kind of like it. It’s a very di!erent life, a lot Mahler Museum of Glass in Neenah, movement, founding his own studio after simpler, a lot less impact.” Wisconsin, and is a 38-piece assortment working with legend Dale Chihuly. His Morris continues his maker lifestyle, inspired by nature, with influences from work is found in museums around the donating carvings to nonprofits or giving oriental ceramics and Japanese pottery. world, from the Hokkaido Museum of them away. A lifetime nature lover, he says Stroemple’s initial interaction with Modern Art in Japan to the Musée des he wanted to be near the ocean, and while Morris, whom he refers to as Billy, was a Arts Décoratifs in Paris. He’s considered he greatly enjoyed his glass work, it was meaningful one, as he was introduced by many to be one of the best American time for a change. to Morris while Morris was the head glass artists, yet in 2007, he said goodbye to Morris’ legacy continues to live on in ga!er for Chihuly in the early '90s, when the facilities, resources and infrastructure the nearly dozen galleries who continue to Stroemple was acquiring Chihuly work for the art form demanded and is now enjoying represent his art, and through the last major his collection. When Morris had his first a life of surfing, spearfishing and carving body of work he created before retiring, a exhibition, Stroemple visited Morris’ home stone and wood on the shores of Hawaii. collection commissioned by collector George in Stanwood, Washington. “The story goes that William’s sculptures were laid out in an old barn, and when George walked in, the sunlight was streaming in through the spaces between the barn siding,” says Linda Tesner, curator of the traveling Native Species collection and exhibition catalog, and director of the Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. “George knew William had a unique vision, and he was interested in his career from the start.” Stroemple acquired Morris’ installation Cache and commissioned the first piece from Morris’ Canopic Jar series—one work from the series fetched nearly $300,000 in a 2013 Bonhams auction. After spending time devising the theme and researching source material for the Native Species collection, Stroemple discussed the collection with Morris a year before he began working on it. Both Morris and Stroemple reflect on the creation process for the Native Species collection fondly, as it involved motorcycle rides and hanging out at Stroemple’s eastern Oregon home, with trips to Steens Mountain and the Cascade Range. Morris said he would hardly do commission work for anyone else because of the preconceptions of how collectors wanted work to look, but Stroemple always showed enthusiasm for how the final product would manifest. “I had had enough experience with

3 William Morris creating work for the Native Species collection. Photo by William Wright.

4 George Stroemple, left, watches William Morris, right, create glass art for the Native Species collection. Photo by William Wright. 2

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GlassColumn_Nikki.indd 174 3/31/15 6:57 PM NATIVE SPECIES 175 " $ ⁄ 3/31/15 6:57 PM # Native , the results were were results , the , 2004. Glass, 14¾ x 10¼ x 9 , 2004. Glass, Native Native Species collection, something the museum museum the something collection, The collection is notable for the Stroemple says whenever he enters a “This exhibition links beautiful art

Smith, executive director of Bergstrom- Mahler Museum of Glass, “and then uses that imagery to transform the experience connection.” of a universal realm into the incredibly innovative and aspects of glass artsculpting hot including Morris, by made says, as surfaces, Tesner scavo well as the associate people most qualities of obviating with glass—sparkle, shine and saturated commissioning artists that I knew whenever whenever knew I that artists commissioning you ideas, on artist an with collaborate you what about head your in something envision Stroemple. says like,” look will work final the comes artist the time, every course, of “And, up with work that resemblance bears little This up. thought I have might to whatever is one of the compelling things about a commission,that the artist takes yourideas In way. own her or his in them interprets and the of case imagined.” I ever anything better than he as series, major a acquires or commission has with Chihuly and fellow glass makers and Costantini, Vittorio Lino Tagliapietra, tells the artist he always Mongrain, James allow is to them to commitment his of part the work to be shown, to help the artist’s career. Bergstrom-Mahler is the seventh museum to temporarily house the Species is pleased to bring to the public. and the vision of the artist, exposing us to what someone gains themselves byin nature,” says immersingJan Mirenda 5 and Golden- Boughs Cedar with Species: Vase Native Squirrels mantled Ground

4 5 GlassColumn_Nikki.indd 175 6 Native Species: Vase with Ponderosa Pine Needles and Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, 2004. Glass, 23¾ x 10¾ x 10"

7 Native Species: Vessel with Cedar Boughs and Cedar Cones, 2004. Glass, 7"⁄# x 9$⁄# x 9$⁄#"

All works are from the George R. Stroemple Collection. A Stroemple/ Stirek Collaboration.

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(920) 751-4658,(920) Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass Through September 6, 2015 WILLIAM MORRIS: SPECIES NATIVE INFORMATION: WHEN: WHERE: And for those remotely interest in the “Billy’s contribution to glass art as 165 N. Park165 Avenue, Neenah, WI 54956 www.bergstrom-mahlermuseum.com it helps people observe and see the world of the and preciousness appreciate nature and the world we in, live it’s something to respected.” and valued and be recognized work Morris’ says Stroemple medium, glass a must-see. is sculpture—as opposed to vessel-making— represents a sea of change in the history of the studio Stroemple glass movement,” says. “If one is interested in the historyof studio glass, Billy’s work represents a achievement.” of pinnacle collection, are interested “With anything, you always want it to While Morris admits he “kind of “He is able to create glass sculptures his, and Stroemple’s, passion. passion. Stroemple’s, and his, resonate in a pure sense,” Morris says. “If retained their value—a true testament that true testament their value—a retained established to appeal to continues work his collect to beginning just those and collectors the in that, certain am I glass. contemporary Morris’ collecting of desirability the future, work will only continue to grow.” dropped o! the face of the earth” his since retirement at the age of hopes 50,viewers of he his work,still including the Native Species in it, enjoy it and are surprised by it. He calls nature “the one truth” and says the collection was a thoughtful exploration of as a glassblower is unparalleled. natural the of essence very the capture that world and the indigenous “Since that inhabited it,” Wexler. says have civilizations his retirement, many of these pieces have entered the secondary market and have

Another gallery owner carrying “While William Morris’ ability to contemporary glass, and says Morris’ skill Morris’ contemporarysays and glass, Morris’ work, Lewis WexlerGallery, calls of Morris Wexlerone of the greatest living American artists in the field of unconsciousness and attempting to create create to attempting and unconsciousness new objects inspired by specific cultures, places or epochs, Morris harnesses a universal energy that draws you in.” and intrinsic quality that in pulls his sculpture from By tapping into humanity. this collective a common thread of power of his work comes from his ability to orchestrate “Often mystery,” feeling as if saysunearthed from Wood.archaeologicalthe record, there is a primal Morris’ work. Morris’ sculpt glass is inimitable, much of the work might be archaeological artifacts.It is qualities such as Jonathanthese that Wood, make owner Wood ofFine Art in AbmeyerSeattle, proud to carry + colors—in order to create the feeling his 7 GlassColumn_Nikki.indd 177