AACG - Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass

Jason Christian

Artist Statement:

I have the same passion for glass now as I did the first time I stepped in front of a glory hole.  It’s glass, it breaks, it’s molten, it moves.  I love it.

Yo-Yo Series: I have been developing the yo-yo series for the last 6 years. Initially they were fun simple forms which gave me a canvas to play with form, color, pattern, and optical refraction. While the complexity of two colors with patterns and their optical qualities are at the heart of these sculptures, over time my understanding of the forms’ meaning has been clarified. They became objects expressing feelings of wholeness, harmony, duality, levity, and relationship. They have become more than just the relationship of yo-yos to childhood memories or ruminations of the concept of play that I initially imagined. They have become forms for contemplation of the past, present, and future.

The Eggs: When I was a kid, my mom had this House of Fabergé book on her coffee table, and I would thumb through it constantly - maybe because I was bad and had to sit on the couch. When I looked into the Fabergé story, I discovered that Fabergé wanted the best craftsmen they could find to make their objects. Coincidentally, I had just started working for James Mongrain who is super technically proficient in Venetian-style work. I can’t tell you how much money I’ve lost over those pieces. They. Are. A. Challenge.

Volpe: I made one golden egg with a fox inside of it. When my parents split up and my mom left, my gram lived right next door to my father. She really raised me. Her maiden name was Volpe. I put her in that golden cage for her spirit. I own that egg, I love that piece. My gram was a phenomenal woman. Whidbey Island’s Christian Road is named after her.  

The Dragons: I’ve always had a fascination with dragons. I was born in 1976 – the year of the dragon. The International District south of downtown Seattle has dragons up there in the light posts. I’ve always been fascinated by them. I thought dragons would translate to glass because of the fluid nature of the form and the fluid form of the medium. Plus, they’re really fun to make. The Venetians have been making dragons for a really long time, but mine are a departure.

About Jason Christian

Jason Christian is a glass artist living in the Seattle area. He was born in 1976 to a metal fabricator and a cardiac nurse. He became involved in glass art at the age of 21 — starting as a factory charger, slowly developing his glass knowledge through experience. He has worked with a variety of well-known artists in the Seattle community including Martin Blank, Preston Singletary, James Mongrain, and Nancy Callan. For almost a decade he has been an integral member of Dale Chihuly's boathouse team, collaborating and working with international artists, including Pino Signoretto. His individual work explores the art of reticello, classical Venetian techniques, and modern simplicity. As of recent, he has been developing art inspired by the works of Fabergé - combining the delicate complexity of reticello with the intricate detailing Fabergé's eggs are known for.

Christian views this series as a tribute to the masters of reticello who came before him. Through interpretations of ancient Venetian glassblowing techniques, mid-century Venini designs, and contemporary color palettes, he creates a juxtaposition of old meets new. His detailed filagree patterns acknowledge the artistry of Burano lace, which dates back to 1528. The egg form is a direct reference to jeweled 18th century Fabergé imperial coronation eggs. In all of his new works, Christian demonstrates his masterful understanding of scale, form, symmetry, and pattern.

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Acknowledgment of Gallery:
We are grateful to Montague Gallery, San Francisco, California, for providing the Artist of the Month.