50th Anniversary of Contemporary Glass Quotes
“Without a doubt Harvey Littleton was the force behind the studio glass movement; without him my career wouldn’t exist.” - Dale Chihuly
“Chihuly, however, is but one of the bright stars in the world of contemporary studio glass, now approaching its 50th anniversary. From its origins in the workshops of Harvey Littleton and Dominick Labino through the course of the last five decades, studio glass has steadily emerged as a world-wide avenue of the arts to be reckoning with. Populated with major international artists, whose diverse work transcends the tiresome “art or craft” debate and who create sculptural forms that delight the eye and exercise the mind, the field is supported by enthusiastic private and public collectors, active support groups such as the AACG, and by many major museums. One can only wonder what the next half-century will bring.”
Gerald W.R. Ward
Katharine Lane Weems Senior Curator of American Decorative Arts and Sculpture
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Who would have dreamed...." - Dale Chihuly
"Marvin Lipofsky's approach to sculpture is direct, expressionistic and abstract — an energetic attack on the material. When he worked in clay, he never concerned himself with function. In the spring [of 1962-63] when he came to glass, he brought a mature approach and quickly identified with the process. Touching on a wide variety of techniques, his attack, his energy, his movement, was entirely personal and his form-sense grew with his ability to work, to devise, to improvise.
"Marvin's staccato person is mirrored in his work, his forms, his material — glass. What else can you ask of an artist?"
— Harvey Littleton, on the occasion of Marvin Lipofsky's 1969 one man exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York City, New York.
"As I look back I don't think anything has changed. I am still trying to do the same thing. Intuition, discovery, chance, trial and error, and a passion for the medium: These are the elements that have driven my life in glass, alongside the international fellowship that developed over the past 50 years. Thank you, Harvey, it's been a great time."
— Marvin Lipofsky, Berkeley, CA, www.marvinlipofsky.com
"To display studio glass art’s incredible history throughout the United States, support has been secured from hundreds of art organizations and the people who have been inspired by the events of the past five decades. AACG would like to invite the public and additional collector groups and museums to join the celebration and start planning visits to experience the exhibits and events set for next year!"
- Arlene Silvers, AACG Immediate Past President
"The golden anniversary of American glass art is the perfect opportunity to celebrate artists nationwide and showcase exquisite glass collections, as well as introduce sculpture in glass to others through education, awareness and community. Our goal is to energize and educate about studio glass art and we’re thankful to be celebrating this art medium’s first 50 years."
- Harlan Fischer, AACG President
