The process of creating stunning art is never an easy one. Artists toil their entire lives to bring their visions to life and perfect their craft. Perhaps one of the most impressive mediums is glassblowing. For the untrained, it is as difficult as it is dangerous, taking years or even decades to truly master. Because of this, glassblowing is one of the most highly celebrated forms of art and continues to draw the interest of artists, collectors, investors, and enthusiasts into the space.
While there have been many extremely talented artists who have transformed the art form over the years, we’re taking a moment to explore the work of ten contemporary glass artists who continue to innovate in the field of glassblowing. Their works deserve to be celebrated.
Dale Chihuly
When discussing the contemporary landscape of glass art, it is impossible not to mention Dale Chihuly. Chihuly is an extremely influential artist who is well-known for works such as “Niijima Floats,” “Fiori di Como,” and his record-breaking exhibit in Jerusalem that drew over 1.3 million visitors. Throughout his career and to this day, he has shown his work at major establishments across the globe. His legacy is cemented all over the world in over 400 permanent collections and through his awards and recognition.
Deborah Czeresko
Inspired by women’s equality and shattering the boundaries that exist between genders, Deborah Czeresko is a queer female artist who has served on the board of directors for UrbanGlass and has her works featured in the Museum of American Glass, the Frauenau Glass Museum, and Glasmuseet Ebeltoft. She also won Netflix’s “Blown Away” reality television show. Her most influential work is “Meat Chandelier,” which is held in the “New Glass Now” exhibit at the Corning Museum of Glass.
Preston Singletary
Drawing from European glass-blowing and Northwest Native American art traditions, Preston Singletary is an internationally recognized artist who is celebrated for the unique themes and forms he designs. Crediting his Tlingit heritage, he incorporates shamanistic and animal spirit themes prominently in his works. Some examples include “Communicating With Spirits” and “Raven Protects the Children.” In 2018, Singletary launched a traveling exhibition called “Raven and the Box of Daylight.”
Rui Sasaki
Rui Sasaki is a Japanese glass artist and educator who has studied the craft extensively in the United States and Japan. According to Sasaki herself, her work primarily explores the subject of “subtle intimacy in unfamiliar spaces” due to her experiences with feelings of loss and discovery through her own life. One of her most famous pieces is “Liquid Sunshine / I Am a Pluviophile,” which is featured in the Corning Museum of Glass’s “New Glass Now” exhibit.
Austin Stern
American artist Austin Stern is a breath of fresh air in the glassblowing space. His “Little Monsters” series of works has several cartoon-like characters expressing a wide range of emotions, interacting with these feelings and hardships in their own little ways. His works are bright and colorful, much like children’s toys and television shows, but they also explore universal themes like relationships and mental health. Stern’s work is represented in Galleri Christoffer Egelund and the Corning Museum of Glass.
Krista Israel
Dutch artist Krista Israel is a renowned innovator in the field of glass art, known not only for her individual pieces but also for her leading role in developing a new technique. Influenced by Chinese ceramic crafting, she, along with a handful of other artists and researchers, created the Lapi Boli technique, which is essentially throwing pâte de verre on a potter’s wheel to create a unique product that is a mix of ceramics and glass. Some of her artistic works include “Smells Like Roses But It’s All Horseshit” and “Good Hair Is 90% of the Perfect Selfie.”
Geoffrey Mann
Dubbed a “Designer of the Future” by Newsweek, Geoffery Mann is an artist hailing from the UK who graduated from the Royal College of Art and propelled himself to a fruitful career shortly after. In 2008, he was awarded the World Craft Council Prize for Glass; then in 2009, he won the Jerwood Contemporary Makers Prize. His Leith Pattern series of works is among his best-known and dives into the history of glass production in the port town of Leith in the later 1700s with his own personalized twist.
Angela Jarman
Based in the United Kingdom, Angela Jarman is an artist heavily inspired by nature and biology. While she draws inspiration from many aspects of the natural world, some of the most consistent themes in her works are growth and reproduction paired with decay and transformation. She has worked with glass for over 20 years, and in 2008 she won the Established Artist Prize International Glass Context. Her works are featured in several public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Shipley Art Gallery. Among her recent works are the “Plum Geode Jar,” “Cobalt Cambium Jar,” and “Peridot Pulmonaria,” while some of her older works include “Progeny,” “Sprouts,” and “Evolution I-III.”
The Verhoeven Twins, Jeroen and Joep
Joep and Jeroen Verhoeven are Dutch brothers who share a creative vision and passion to create incredible works. They have worked with companies and individuals from all sorts of backgrounds and industries to bring their designs to life. The twins are known for their bubble-like designs, which are created by using iridized borosilicate glass, a material that is notably hard to damage. Some examples of their work include “Cá d’Oro,” “You & I,” and “Moments of Happiness.”
Jon Kuhn
Today, few names rival that of Jon Kuhn in the world of glass artists. His works are extremely intricate with varied colors and shapes that manipulate light to produce stunning visual effects. Much of his work is highly sought after by collectors, and his pieces are also featured in over 40 museums around the world. A few of his most famous works include “Rhapsody in Red,” “Light of God,” “Expensive Rain,” and “Crescent Moon.”
Find the Latest and Greatest Glass Artworks at Joshua Kodner Galleries
The world of glass art is expansive and holds a huge amount of talent and beauty. If you’d like to own a piece of this flourishing community, Joshua Kodner Galleries is your premier destination. For generations, our experienced professionals have aided clients in the buying and selling of fine art and jewelry. With a commitment to honesty and fairness, we strive to help all find the next treasure perfect for their collection. We welcome you to contact us today to learn more about us and how we can help you.
