Welcome!
Welcome to the Glass Alliance of Northern California, where collectors, artists, students and the glass community come together.
Message from the President
We had our best turnout yet for the GLANC 10 year anniversary celebration. Held at BAGI on Sept 10th, renowned artist Fritz Dreisbach treated us to a history lesson on the early days of Studio Glass, followed by a wonderful lunch and lively demonstration. [at right: Fritz Dreisbach blowing a 1936 pickup truck at the GLANC membership event. Photo: Susan Longini]
While today's artists working in glass must consider galleries and pricing, the early pioneers in this art form had no established galleries, no history of glass as a medium for the studio artist, and no expectation of sales. They built their own furnaces and glory holes, experimented with glass formulas, and were true explorers. The interest in studio glass grew exponentially, and a mere 50 years later we are accustomed to major museum exhibitions, galleries that carry art made from glass, and artists producing sophisticated sculpture fetching commensurate prices.
Moreover, we have many public access studios so that the community as a whole can learn about glass through classes and attend lectures by leading artists.
The October edition of the GLANC newsletter focuses on the bay area's 3 public access nonprofits. It is an exciting time of change for all three. The Crucible in Oakland, with Mary White as head of the glass program, recently added a furnace and expanded their glass offerings, while San Jose's BAGI and San Francisco's Public Glass welcomed new Executive Directors to guide the institutions into the next era. We welcome Joan Phillips, BAGI Executive Director, and Matthew Szősz, Public Glass Executive Director, to the bay area.
— Susan Longini
Featured Articles from the October Newsletter
- The Crucible
- Matthew Szősz, Executive Director, Public Glass
- Joan Phillips, Executive Director, Bay Area Glass Institute
- Tone Ørvik Open House