An exhibit that celebrates a unique aspect of Pacific Northwest living—glass art—is now open in Bellingham.
The Lightcatcher building on the Whatcom Museum campus is the place to go to view “Fluid Formations: The Legacy of Glass in the Pacific Northwest.”
The growth of art glass in the Pacific Northwest can largely be traced to two men, Harvey Littleton and Dale Chihuly.
Littleton was a professor of ceramics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, who wanted to turn glassmaking over to artisans. At the time, art glass was made mostly in factories, such as Steuben Glass. Littleton started a glass program at his university.
Meantime, Dale Chihuly, who was born in Tacoma, was considering how to work with glass and went to study with Littleton. When he returned to the Northwest, Chihuly convinced Anne Gould Hauberg and John Hauberg to allow him to set up a summer workshop on their tree farm, located in Stanwood, Washington. That workshop became the Pilchuk Glass School, which became the nation’s premier glassblowing school, and made the region the art glass center. The effort has grown steadily for the past 50 years, and now includes such attractions as the Museum of Glass in Tacoma.
The exhibit celebrates the exquisite designs that come from working in glass and features the works of 57 glass artists. The exhibit recently opened and runs through October 10. Brochure printing can be used to create programs for events like this.
