‘Masters Of Studio Glass’ At Corning Museum

“Masters of Studio Glass: Joel Philip Myers and Steven I. Weinberg” not only showcases the artists’ accomplishments, but also reveals the versatility of the medium, honoring the material’s remarkable capability to assume a wide range of expressions. The exhibition presents the evolution of the artists’ respective techniques, and shows how each has developed new and complex ways to work with glass. Every object in the exhibition is drawn from the Museum’s permanent collection of contemporary glass.

“I am so pleased to announce the launch of this new exhibition series, which allows us to examine more deeply the work of individual artists represented in our collection and to bring more of their work to the public,” said executive director Dr. David Whitehouse. “We are delighted to introduce the series through the work of Myers and Weinberg, two respected personalities in the glass community.”

Myers and Weinberg have exhibited extensively internationally and are studio glass innovators. In this show, Myers’ warm, painterly vessels are placed alongside Weinberg’s hard and brilliant sculptures cast in colorless lead glass. The former explore color and fluidity whereas the latter express the transparent and reflective qualities of glass. Both artists work with the abstraction of natural forms yet their objects stand in clear contrast to each other.

“We have designed the ‘Masters of Studio Glass’ series to widen the picture of contemporary art in glass for the public and the field,” said Tina Oldknow, curator of modern glass. “The focused exhibition format provides a platform to experience the trajectory of a career, and helps deepen the appreciation and understanding of these artists’ contributions to the studio glass community.”

About the Artists

Although they approach the material in very different ways, Myers and Weinberg are both true masters of technique and share a keen interest in process and the advancement of the material. The artists represent two generations of a very young movement. After completing an M.F.A. in ceramics at Alfred University in 1968, Myers pursued an interest in glass independently, developing his technique in relative isolation, in a factory setting. Weinberg also attended Alfred, a decade later, but continued his formal studies at the glass studio of the Rhode Island School of Design, where he worked with mentor Dale Chihuly. Myers created the glassblowing program at Illinois State University in 1970 and quickly became one of the most respected teachers in the country. Although he did not teach, Weinberg is recognized as a pioneer of kiln-casting in American studio glass. Each artist continues to experiment and explore new directions in his art. -- www.cmog.org