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Blown Glass Lamps

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



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