Dress up in a (glass) birthday suit

Glass Birthday Suit: the Basics Laid Bare

Through Feb. 15, 2003

The Hodge…

Glass Birthday Suit: the Basics Laid Bare

Through Feb. 15, 2003

The Hodge Gallery

Pittsburgh Glass Center

5472 Penn Ave.

(412) 365-2145

www.pittsburghglasscenter.org

The glassworkers of 16th century Venice were subject to the death penalty if they took their skills to any other country – their work was just that mesmerizing.

After becoming a lost art through the arrival of large production machines in the 20th century, glassblowing is being appreciated again as fine art. And unlike in Venice, it is also being shared freely.

“Glass Birthday Suit: the Basics Laid Bare” is Pittsburgh Glass Center’s first student and instructor exhibition. The pieces chosen represent the work from the Center’s first full year of classes. Just as the Glass Center is a work in progress, the exhibition’s breathtaking progression of skill shows what can be accomplished even by those just starting out.

Student and artist James Russo wrote, “Glass is the only way I can play with fire and get away with it.” His piece, “Playing with Space,” speaks for itself. A huge weaving of rusted metal rests on the floor while clear structures, resembling the bones of a decaying glass bison, jut out toward the ceiling. The entire thing screams “primeval,” yet the glass is mysteriously delicate and sophisticated. Its nature simply draws you in.

While pondering what it is about glass that is so hypnotic, a large quote painted on the wall from student Lindsay O’Leary, provides some insight, “Glassworking is the ultimate exercise in harmony [and] … paradoxes.”

On the wall by the doorway, the first piece to scream out “look at me” proves the paradox. Strength and vulnerability work together to form Dave Born’s “Tribal Candy.” A bright but subtle floral pattern of large glass ovals hang on the wall, reminiscent of looking directly at the sun. This piece is startling in its beauty and its ability to stay intact. It is a large three-dimensional structure. Upon closer examination, a steel base barely peeks out from behind the perfectly formed glass. Again, opposites are working together.

A piece titled “Beginning Study #1” is a simple collaboration between 11 students and an instructor. At first glance the piece is an interesting vase-like mix of color, globs of solid glass and thin, lithe curves. It is a gorgeous piece to look at, perhaps even functional. But what is most impressive is that it is nothing more than an experiment done by a class to get them used to their trade.

In the back of the gallery lies the jewelry. Beautiful, elegant and sharp – every word a grandmother would use on prom night comes to mind upon the close examination of Darlene Durrwachter’s “Rushing Because the Night …” This piece is a necklace designed from glass, vintage Swarovski crystal and sterling silver. Take a step back and the necklace’s layout seems utterly punk. It’s big, spiky and black. But the details are gracious. Like most of the pieces in the gallery, this one is an unusual harmony of opposing forces.

Durrwachter wrote, “I believe a good instructor teaches what she needs to learn.” The students and instructors showcased in this exhibit have shown an amazing ability to work off one another. The creative freedom that stems from a few basic fundamentals is what makes the art stand out. There is much to be learned and appreciated from the first of what will hopefully be many projects by the students and instructors of the Pittsburgh Glass Center.