TACOMA, WA.- Museum of Glass announced Field Notes: Artists Observe Nature. Not surprisingly, artists have looked to the natural world for inspiration for millennia. And, since the turn of the 20th century, there have been significant moments in which artists have sought to mimic the forms and patterns of nature in glass. Field Notes: Artists Observe Nature begins with works from the Art Nouveau period, roughly between 1890 and 1910, centered in France during the Belle Époque. The movement’s signature focus on blossoms, birds, and insects combined with sinuous organic tendrils was a reaction against the academic style and historicism of the previous century. These stylistic markers shone with particular brilliance in the decorative and applied arts and architecture. The style reached its apogee at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900, where the Art Nouveau interpretations in glass by Émile Gallé, René Lalilque, and the Daum Brothers were introduced, along with stained glass marvels by American Louis Comfort Tiffany.
More than a century later, contemporary glass artists have been similarly inspired by the natural world as a focus in their work. Included in this exhibition is work by William Morris, Vittorio Costantini, and Joey Kirkpatrick and Flora C. Mace. These contemporary artists in no way imitate the style of Art Nouveau, but their fascination with forms in nature are sympathetic to their artistic forebears.
“Artists observing nature is a theme as old as time. I love the tradition and continuity that is suggested by contemporary artists in this subject matter – the assiduous adherence to realistic representation or intentional deviation thereof, the palpable sense of marvel that these artists experience in the natural world, and the emotive potential in natural history subjects. The ideas conveyed in this exhibition have been rattling around in my head for a very long time,” said Guest Curator Linda Tesner.
The name of the exhibition recalls the practice of natural historians – professional and amateur – recording observations encountered while being in nature. These innately curious artists have trained their prodigious skills in glass to honor the natural world. Their work reminds the viewer of the marvelous phenomena outside of the studio walls.
“While we are surrounded by the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, it is not often we get to welcome nature into the Museum. Field Notes is an engaging opportunity for those that love being outdoors to see how artists render natural details in glass. The Museum is especially pleased to have Linda Tesner’s extensive experience to guest curate this show,” said Museum of Glass Curator Katie Buckingham.
