THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 18, 1995 TAG: 9506150226
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 34 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mary Ellen Riddle
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the National Art Glass Society, which began in a small community called Spruce Pine, N.C.
One of the founding fathers, Harvey Littleton, opened a hot glass studio in the western North Carolina town, providing other glass artists a place to work.
The spark Littleton lit in the art world was the beginning of a major studio-art glass movement, resulting in the world-famous Penland School of Crafts.
In fact, the school has become so important that Spruce Pine was swallowed up as artists began referring to the community simply as Penland, N.C.
In honor of the society's anniversary, Greenleaf Art Gallery in Duck is showing a sampling of art glass by some of America's finest artisans through July 12. Many of the artists have been baptized by fire at Penland.
Several of them also lay claim to having worked with Dale Chihuly, a former Littleton student, who is heralded as one of America's best-known living glass artists.
Visitors to the gallery will be greeted by an explosion of light, form and color that only glass can justify. Displayed in a windowed alcove, the featured works reflect the variety of techniques glass artists use today, including examples of blown, etched, formed, fused and stained glass, and lampworking.
The work of Don Manuel Gonzalez is breathtaking.
``When you look at Don Gonzalez's work, his work is so pure - simple form and elegance,'' said Greenleaf co-owner Didi Waldner-Tupper. ``He has to buy only the finest glass, the purest glass.''
Gonzalez's blown-glass bowls and vases in violets and cobalt blues illustrate the grace that lies dormant in glass. It is hard to imagine the origin of such pieces as being sand, soda and lime. The smooth lines and fluid color defy claim of having sprung from anything but a celestial source.
Thirteen artists share works from glass palettes so varied and unusual that they encompass glass bracelets, paperweights, huge blown-glass bottles and pedestal bowls, intricately colored and textured vases, etched goblets, perfumed bottles with leaf or fish stoppers, beaded necklaces, cobalt blue boxes, stained glass panels and sculptural glass orbs that manifest both the smooth quality of glass and the complex designs removed from the artist's mind.
Visitors to Greenleaf also will have the opportunity to see several examples of Kent Ipsen's blown-glass works, a rare showing from a man who no longer blows glass.
``Glass is fully alive in the United States,'' said Waldner-Tupper, ``and it is as vibrant as it's ever been.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY ELLEN RIDDLE
Greenleaf Art Gallery co-owner Didi Waldner-Tupper shows off a glass
art work on display at the gallery in Duck. The glass show runs July
12.
by CNB