Wanganui 1 Vessel (Red-Orange) by Brian Russell

Glass is natural, ancient, and beautiful—a symphony of heat, earth, and creativity that has seduced us for centuries. As an art form, there are very few pursuits that can match the history of glassmaking and the ingenuity of glass artists. Generatlly speaking, artists work with glass in two realms: blown glass and cast glass.

Cast glass pieces are created when the artist pours molten glass into molds. There are several variations of this process, but there is at least one constant – unlimited possibilities to create beauty that will catch the light, hold the gaze, and last for lifetimes.

Brian Russell constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of cast glass creativity. Whether through new processes, or through the creative use of new materials, his work represents the emotional power the medium holds over us. Russell’s &quotlWanganui 1 Vessel" is particularly striking. Created with the "lost wax" technique, it’s one of a limited series in the artist’s studio. The lost wax process refers to a casting technique in which a carved wax model is placed in a container that is then filled with plaster. After the plaster hardens, the container is super-heated to melt and evaporate the wax. The resulting mold is then ready for molten glass. Russell’s deeply resonant work has captured the attention of some well-known collectors like Al Pacino and Robin Wiliams.

Vincent Olmstead’s "The Scotty Goes to France" is another important example of materials and process working together. This one-of-a-kind, sand-cast glass sculpture epitomizes the versatility of both the artist and the medium. Jonathan Winfisky’s "Ming Vessel" is a vibrant marriage of blown and cast glass.

The Scotty Goes to France by Vincent Olmsted

All three of these wonderful pieces are quite durable, as are most works in glass, but a little but of sensible care will preserve your collection of art glass for generations.

When handling glass work, use care —and two hands! Make sure your hands are clean, but don’t wear gloves; your own skin does a much better job of holding onto the smooth surfaces of glass objects. Be sure to avoid lifting by handles, spouts, or other protruding elements.

Should it become necessary to clean pieces in your collection, a little goes along way. First carefully examine the piece (following the handling steps above) to make sure it remains in good condition. Your best bet for removing dirt or dust that may have accumulated is a soft brush. It’s best to avoid using cloth—even a soft one. Cloth can snag on some surfaces and edges.

With a small amount of proper care, your cast glass collection will assume its place in the centuries-old history of our fascination with glass, and remain there for generations.

Tutti Frutti Wine Powder Twist Goblets by Robert Dane

For 3,500 years, glass vessels have been a hallmark of human civilization. When the ancient Syrians began blowing molten glass around 50 BC, they took the medium to a whole new level of delicacy and translucency. Glass-blowing technology, using a long thing rod, has changed very little since then.

When building a collection of blown glass, it helps to choose a theme to guide your acquisitions. Affordable and small in scale, goblets offer an excellent starting point for would-be glass collectors. They possess a recognizable form and function that can be reinvented endlessly. You may use your goblets to toast life’s milestones, if you like or reserve them for strictly decorative purposes.

There are myriad niches for the glass goblet collector, and today the market for these pieces is hotter than ever. Those with a taste for history may favor Depression-are pressed glass, engraved Bohemian glass, or Art Nouveau glass from the design houses of Tiffany and Lalique. Collectors who thirst for new work can find astonishing goblets in the studios of living, breathing masters of glass. These artists typically blow each piece freehand rather than into a mold—thus, even their production pieces possess a compelling and desirable individuality.

Cobalt Martini Goblet by Laurie Thal

Many of the artist who have been reigniting the art of glass blowing in America since the 1960s have found inspiration in the vivid colors and intricate designs fo the Venetian glassmaking tradition. Robert Dane uses Venetian techniques to embody the shapes of his fertile imagination. Each goblet is a unique gem, made with multiple techniques of hot-forming glass. Fanciful stems sprout unexpected appendages, spiral up to slim flutes, or curve like graceful sea creatures.

Colors in glass are produced by adding metal or metal oxides to the basic ingredients of sand, soda, and lime. In ancient times, red glass, made with copper or gold dust, was prized above all. The opulent crimson of Kenny Pieper’s goblets, set off so beautifully by subtly faceted surfaces, is the product of experimentation with a variety of chemicals.

In most cases, the three parts of a goblet—foot, stem, and bowl—are blown or formed separately and fused together while they are extremely hot.

To keep your collection at its toast-worthy best, wash goblets carefully by hand. Raise the temperature of the water slowly—sudden changes of temperature may cause glass to shatter.

Slant Perfume
by Kevin Kutch and Mary Ellen Buxton

The art of the perfume bottle is as old as perfume itself. The ancient Egyptians used a variety of materials including gold, colored glass, stone, and alabaster to contain their precious fragrances. Some perfumes were also stored in clay pots in the shapes of people and animals. Most of the vessels were simple, but some, such as those found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, were true works of art.

In 13th century Europe, artists, jewelers, and goldsmiths handcrafted highly decorative perfume bottles, though the perfumes themselves were often sold in plain bottles then transferred to the ornamental containers in the home.

By the 18th century, wealthy individuals were commissioning artists to create one-of-a-kind bottles in which to store their perfumes.

In 1906, Francois Coty hired the glassblower René Lalique to create a beautiful, affordable commercial perfume bottle. Lalique’s resulting work, a sculptural form made from pressed glass, revolutionized the way perfumes were packaged as other perfumers began hiring artists to create special bottles for their fragrances.

Fern by Mary Angus

The first "designer" fragrance came about in 1919 when the fashion designer Paul Poiret created a perfume to serve as an entry point to his brand for women who couldn’t afford his clothes and a finishing touch for those who could. More designers followed him into the industry, bringing their style expertise along with them, and the commercial perfume bottle was elevated to a true art form. Fine artists, including Salvador Dali, began to work in the genre.

No longer made of crystal, the mass-produced perfume bottles of today are primarily driven by the bottom line. But fine artists in several media are still attracted to the genre. Glass artists such as Mary Ellen Buxton and Kevin Kutch consider them "gem-like sculptures." Another glass artist, Mary Angus, finds them to be "a very sensual form."

Collectors love them as well for their small sizes and relatively small prices. Prices for artist-made perfume bottles can start as low as $50 and reach into the thousands, but many can be had for $100 to $300. They are an excellent entry point for beginning a collection in art glass as well as a way to own a small example of a particular artist’s work.

Uranium Foglio by David Patchen

In the past decade, art glass has enjoyed growing interest from artists, galleries, dealers, museums, and collectors in the United States. The momentum has continued as its popularity has expanded to audiences in Japan, Korea, and Australia.

The many unique and contradictory properties of glass as a medium have captured the imagination of artists. (It’s pliable in liquid form, but hard when it cools. It can be opaque or transparent. It can capture or reflect light. It can be clear or colored.) Advancements in glassmaking technology sine the 1980’s have expanded its possibilities even further. Ancient formulas have been replaced by contemporary ones that make glass more malleable and enable artists to blow glass larger and thinner. The introduction of dichroic colors, which refract light in amazing ways, have given artists an iridescent color palette to work with. The development of computer-controlled kilns and furnaces have freed artists from focusing on the temperature of the glass at various stages in the process, enabling them to concentrate more fully on the art itself. Equipment has also become smaller and easier to manage, making it easier for new artists to enter the field.

There are increased opportunities for training as well. A growing number of colleges have added glass departments, introducing new artists to the medium. Meanwhile, fine artists who began their careers working in other media, have discovered glass as a means of expressing themselves.

As fine artists and changing technology push the medium to new heights, a growing number of galleries have begun to include and exhibit glass. The resale market for art glass has increased over the last decade as well. Museums have been more active in collecting contemporary art glass and in staging exhibitions focused on the medium. According to the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass website, at least 84 museums in the United States now have contemporary glass collections. All of these developments, and the greater exposure contemporary glass has enjoyed as a resulte, have led to increased interest in collectors.

Happy Pills by Tommie Rush

If all of the growing interest in glass has fired your enthusiasm for collecting it, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Learn as much as you can about glassmaking history and techniques to develop a greater appreciation for the medium.
• Take a glassmaking class or workshop to enhance your appreciation even more.
• See as much glass as you can; visit glass galleries and museum exhibitions.
• Depending on your interests, consider the concept behind the pieces or the technique itself as a focus for your collection.
• If collecting works by a well-known artist, consider the artists’ entire range of work, and select a piece based on either its originality in relation to the body of work as a whole or as the finest example of that artists’ output.
• But most importantly, as with all collecting, buy only what you love!