Introduction to Glass Arts
Glass is a medium that is inextricably linked to the technical skills that its maker possesses. The product that results when sand makes the transformation into glass is invariably defined and confined by that process that creates it. At the same time, it is the understanding and mastery of that process that enables glass artists and artisans to make pieces that are truly extraordinary. Whether it is the mass-produced glassware found in homes around the world or the effervescent installations made by Dale Chihuly, the medium holds an undeniable allure because of the dynamism of its formation and the elegance of its products.
As with many other mediums that are associated with crafts such as ceramics or metal, glass allows and incites its makers to deal with functionality, technical application, gesture, and spatial presence in every piece that they create. Contemporary glass art objects can be anything from undulating, abstract, sculptural forms to embellished interpretations of everyday items such as vessels or flatware. Distinguishing qualities such as color or opacity vary from piece to piece, but all glasswork shares certain unifying characteristics. Each in its own way captures the tension between the malleability of the raw material and the permanence of the finished form.