Studio Glass Art Golden Age’s fire was ignited at the Pilchuck Glass School in 1972, 2.7 miles NE of the History Farm. Its flame was greatly enhanced with the contribution of Italian artists. The Farm’s message is that “diversity is a strength.” Nothing proves this more than the short history of the Glass School, inviting glass artists from around the World to visit and contribute their cultures’ tradecraft during the 1972 – 2014 period. We will highlight these Swedish, Czech, Japanese, Australian, and others’ methods and
contributions in following posts, but today we honor the Italian. The contribution of Italian artists, 600 years of knowledge and skill, first introduced by Benjamin Moore, culminated with the master mentor Lino Tagliapietra’s contributions, simultaneous with the classmate acquaintances of Italo Scagna and Dale Chihuly; Italo teaching for the school’s first 6 years. The “Voices in Studio Glass History” is a wonderful introduction (URL below), as is Tina Oldknow’s Pilchuck: A Glass School, Washington Press, 1996. This was all before U-Tube and cell phones. Artists and students came together in a total emersion environment, blending the skills and knowledge of different countries. The Glass School mirrored the Farm’s message, accepting diversity and inclusion while building a new and beautiful future. People coming together, sharing and caring without many of today’s distractions. It was a Golden Age, but being a glass artist was a tough, tough and for most, a financially unrewarding, life then, 600 years before, and today.
https://www.plc215.org/100-glass-artists/
https://www.glassofvenice.com/murano_glass_history.php
https://www.plc215.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Kiosk-11.pdf
https://exhibitions.bgc.bard.edu/studioglasshistory/places/pilchuck-glass-school/
https://www.amazon.com/Pilchuck-Glass-School-Tina-Oldknow/dp/0295975598
https://www.plc215.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Pilchuck-Glass-School.pdf
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/longform/2023/7/19/a-glassblower-fights-to-keep-her-600-year-old-family-craft-alive
The Pilchuck Glass School, whereas many female as male artists have learned their trade is world renowned for its:
diversity
flat glass art
location
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