| Blown glass, with its long and varied history, has | | | | Dale Chihuly, began the Pilchuck Glass School, |
| taken many forms and functions. Nowhere is this | | | | which continues to instruct and inspire artists. |
| medium more impressive and inspiring than in the | | | | Several contemporary artists are working today |
| beauty of a blown glass lamp. The element of | | | | to make an amazing array of blown glass lamps; |
| light adds an infinitely fascinating combination of | | | | a combination of form (the glass) and function (to |
| luminous color and form. | | | | provide light) inspires and delights aficionados |
| Glassblowing is a labor-intensive process that | | | | worldwide. For example: |
| involves a great deal of training and skill. Described | | | | · Venetian artist Eros Raffael, whose |
| very simply, it involves the use of a metal | | | | creations are represented in the United States by |
| blowpipe that is dipped into molten glass. The | | | | Oggetti Luce, works with glass canes to produce |
| artist blows into the pipe, creating a bubble that is | | | | complex striations and dapples of color in his |
| shaped with the use of a few simple tools, and is | | | | pieces. |
| cooled slowly over several hours so as not to | | | | · Guy Corrie of Union Street Glass, whose |
| crack the glass. | | | | glass seems to take on a life of its own, mimics |
| The process of blowing glass while in a molten | | | | organic shapes and patterns found in the natural |
| state first came into use around the first century | | | | world to produce a wonderful variety of lamps |
| B.C.E. by Syrian craftsmen. The technology was | | | | and lighting fixtures. |
| quickly adopted, then developed, refined and | | | | · Lisa Schwartz and Kurt Swanson of |
| distributed by the Romans. By the Middle Ages, | | | | Pinkwater Glass bring a whimsical and fun element |
| the world capital of glassmaking was centered in | | | | to lighting with their distinctive, colorful, |
| Venice, Italy. It was in Venice and on the island of | | | | polka-dotted designs and almost-from- |
| Murano that the secret techniques of glass | | | | another-world themes. |
| artisans were closely guarded and fostered for | | | | · Tracy Glover, who uses her blown glass |
| several hundred years. | | | | primarily in the stems of her lamps, creates |
| Then in the mid-twentieth century, in the United | | | | simple, elegant and magical lighting fixtures that |
| States, Harvey Littleton and Dominick Labino | | | | can be used in a variety of décor. |
| started the studio glass movement. They brought | | | | Celebrate the skill and artistry that has developed |
| glassmaking techniques to a smaller, studio-based | | | | over the last two thousand years by exploring |
| scale that allowed more versatility with the | | | | the rich variety of blown glass lamps available |
| medium. One of Littleton's most famous students, | | | | today. |