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