About the Project

History of the Project

The Voices in Studio Glass History online exhibition and archive is the result of over five years of research and collaboration by a team at Bard Graduate Center and contributions from glass community members. 

The project started as two separate endeavors: an anthology of Paul Hollister’s critical writings on studio glass, including an annotated bibliography, and the cataloging and digitization of nearly 300 35mm slides from his teaching collection. Over time, the intersections of the two projects and discussions between their respective team members made clear that there was an opportunity to reveal a more complex story of the history of postwar studio glass in the United States by bringing them together. Building upon analyses of Hollister’s writings, photography, and his own recordings, oral history interviews with members of the glass community became essential to fully realize the combined project. Many themes emerged and complemented each other, among them the importance of experimentation, shared knowledge, critical debate, exhibitions, the marketplace, and especially the interrelationships between makers and their places of learning and practice. Highlighting that synergy became a foundational organizing principle for Voices in Studio Glass History. Merging these projects in this online exhibition and archive coalesces the many figures from this history, bringing their work and voices together in one place to tell this story through a new multifaceted, multimedia approach.

This project was made possible by support from The Paul and Irene Hollister Endowment at Bard Graduate Center. The research was supported by a Craft Research Fund grant from The Center for Craft.

This project was curated and developed by Barb Elam, Associate Director of Visual Media Resources and Study Collection Librarian; Catherine Whalen, Associate Professor; and Jesse Merandy, Director of Digital Humanities/Exhibitions.

The Online Exhibition Site was designed and developed by CHIPS

Special Thanks to

Bard Graduate Center and Director Susan Weber; The Rakow Research Library at The Corning Museum of Glass and The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning New York; Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center; Rhode Island School of Design; UrbanGlass; Blenko Glass Company; Penland School of Craft; and Pilchuck Glass School.

Ana Matisse Donefer-Hickie, Bard Graduate Center work-study student. Photo: Bard Graduate Center.

Majority of Paul Hollister slide collection post-archiving. Photo: Bard Graduate Center.

Sybil Johnson (seated), 2018 Paul Hollister Fellow, with Barb Elam. Photo: Bard Graduate Center.

Barb Elam and Jesse Merandy. Photo: Bard Graduate Center.

BGC alum Colleen Terrell, editorial assistant. Photo: Laura Minsky.

Work-study student Natalie De Quarto, 2020. Photo: Bard Graduate Center.

Work-study student Caleb Weintraub-Weissman, 2020. Photo: Bard Graduate Center.

Work-study student Caleb Weintraub-Weissman, 2020. Photo: Bard Graduate Center.

Barb Elam with work-study student, Ana Matisse Donefer-Hickie. Photo: Bard Graduate Center. 

Majority of Paul Hollister slide collection pre-archiving. Photo: Bard Graduate Center.

Dan Collins interviewing Paul Stankard at his Studio, Mantua, New Jersey, March 2017. Photo: Jesse Merandy.

Dan Collins interviewing Jane Bruce at Bard Graduate Center, New York, March 2017. Photo: Jesse Merandy.

The Voices of Studio Glass

To the community of contributors that lent their expertise, memories, ephemera, photos and voices to this project: Hank Murta Adams, Bob Banford, Gary Beecham, Martin Blank, Donavon Boutz, Jane Bruce, Ken Carder, James Carpenter, Matt Carter, Sydney Cash,Karen Chambers, Dan Dailey, Paul DeSomma, Laura Donefer, Michael Glancy, Randall Grubb, William Gudenrath, Henry Halem, Ferdinand Hampson, James Harmon, Carey Hedlund, Douglas Heller, Geoff Isles, Fred Kahl, Alan Kaplan, Joey Kirkpatrick, Dwight Lanmon, Robert Levin, John Littleton, Flora C. Mace, Cybele Maylone, William Morris, Jay Musler, Tina Oldknow, Andrew Page, Mark Peiser, Flo Perkins, Kristin Qualls, Mary Shaffer, Yaffa Sikorsky-Todd, Susie Silbert, Preston Singletary, Dean Six,  Gordon Smith, Paul Stankard, Therman Statom, Lino Tagliapietra, Debbie Tarsitano, Gay LeCleire Taylor, Victor Trabucco, Joe Upham, Kate Vogel, Catherine Whalen, Richard Wilfred Yelle, Tina Yelle, and Toots Zynsky

PAUL HOLLISTER RECORDINGS

Edward Larrabee Barnes, Bob Banford, Gary Beecham, William Carlson, James Carpenter, Geraldine Casper, Carol Cohen, Dale Chihuly, Dan Dailey, Stephen Dee Edwards, Maurice Heaton, Joey Kirkpatrick, Jon Kuhn, Dwight Lanmon, Věra Lišková, Klaus Moje, William Morris, Jay Musler, Joel Philip Myers, Paul and Elmerina Parkman, Tom Patti, Mark Peiser, Richard Ritter, Don Shepherd, Paul Stankard, Howard Ben Tré, Sylvia Vigiletti, and Steven Weinberg

Dedicated to the glass artists and those we’ve lost during the build of this project

Jaroslava Brychtová, Geraldine Casper, Carol Cohen, Michael Glancy, Howard Ben Tré, and Sylvia Vigiletti

Online Exhibition Development

Video Interviews

Interviews conducted by: Catherine Whalen, Barb Elam, Dan Collins, and Jesse Merandy

Video Production: Dan Collins, Jesse Merandy, and Mike Satalof

Video Editing: Dan Collins and Barb Elam, Lauren Drapala, and Caleb Weintraub-Weissman 

Video Transcription editing: Barb Elam 

Artists in Conversation

Interviews and Production: Barb Elam

Production Assistance: Laura Minsky and Jocelyn Lau

Audio Interviews 

Audio interviews conducted by: Barb Elam, Catherine Whalen, and Mike Satalof

Production Assistance: Mike Satalof, former BGC Archivist and Digital Collections Librarian

Audio Editing: Barb Elam, Caleb Weintraub-Weissman and Jesse Merandy

Audio Transcription editing: Barb Elam

Additional Transcription assistance: Natalie De Quarto, Michelle Jackson-Bennett, and Colleen Terrell

Copy Editing

Sarah McFadden, Annika Fisher

Additional Copy Editing

Barb Elam, Catherine Whalen, Jesse Merandy, Colleen Terrell, and Julia Carabatsos

BGC Students and Alumni Contributors

Juliana Fagua Arias, Julie Bellemare, Julia Carabatsos, Natalie De Quarto, Lauren Drapala, Ana Matisse Donefer-Hickie, Noah Dubay, Ellen Enderle, Robert Gordon-Fogelson, Sybil Johnson, Isabella Lettere, Boxi Liu, Jeannette Miller, Daria Murphy, Palavi Patke, Madeline Porsella, Skylar Smith, Christianne Teague, Colleen Terrell, Rebecca Tuite, Alyssa Velasquez, Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy, Danielle Weindling, and Caleb Weintraub-Weissman

2018 Paul and Irene Hollister Research Fellows

Sybil Johnson and Skylar Smith

Bard Graduate Center Interns

Norbert Borski, Phoebe Cohen, and Alana De Voe

Bard Graduate Center Support

Peter N. Miller, Dean; Tim Ettenheim, Chief Operating Officer; Heather Topcik, Director of the Library;  Benjamin Krevolin, Chief Advancement Officer; Amy Estes, Director of Marketing and Communications; Laura Minsky, Associate Director of Research Programs; Ruth Epstein, Manager or Institutional Giving and Development; Laura Grey, Art Director; Hellyn Teng, Web Manager; Anna Helgeson, Reader Services Librarian; Chantal Sulkow, Reference and Collections Librarian; Rita Niyazova, Director of Finance; Miao Chen, Accounting Manager; and Mohammed Alam, Budget Manager. 

Project Credits and Contributions

Penland School of Craft

Research and text: Barb Elam, Colleen Terrell, and Catherine Whalen. 

Image Permissions: Anne Hawthorne, The Jane Kessler Memorial Archives at the Penland School of Craft, Rago Auctions, and The Rakow Research Library at The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York

“Two Days at Penland,” Geraldine Casper and Jack Casper. Videography attributed to Jack Casper. Collection of The Rakow Research Library, The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York

Thanks to following for their contributions: Leila Hamdan, Carey Hedlund, and Mark Peiser

The Corning Museum of Glass

Research and text: Barb Elam, Colleen Terrell, and Catherine Whalen.

Image Permissions: The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York,

The Rakow Research Library at The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, and Victor Trabucco

Special thanks to the Rakow Research Library at The Corning Museum of Glass and the incredible generous and knowledgeable staff who helped with this project: Beth Hylen, Colleen Rademaker, Rebecca Hopman, and Emily Davis

Thanks to following for their contributions: Emily Davis, Rebecca Hopman, Beth Hylen, Colleen Rademaker, Suzanne Abrams Rebillard, and Susie Silbert

Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center

Research and text: Barb Elam, Colleen Terrell, and Catherine Whalen

Image Permissions: The Art Institute of Chicago, The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, The Rakow Research Library, and Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center

Thanks to following for their contributions: Kristin Qualls, Gay LeCleire Taylor, and Dianne Wood

Dan Dailey and Lino Tagliapietra Joint Masterwork CGCA Fellowship Workshop Video

Production and Editing: Madeline Porsella
Direction and Production: Barb Elam 

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Research and text: Barb Elam, Colleen Terrell, and Catherine Whalen

Image Permissions: American Craft Council Library & Archives, Kate Elliott, The Glancy Family, RISD Archives, The Rhode Island School of Design, Mary Shaffer, and MJ Tyson

Thanks to following for their contributions: Kate Elliott and the Glancy Family. 

UrbanGlass (New York Experimental Glass Workshop)

Research and text: Barb Elam, Colleen Terrell, and Catherine Whalen.

Additional Images: The Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk Virginia, Edward Claycomb, James Harmon, Larry Jasse, Judith Schwartz, Mary Shaffer, Brynhildur Thorgeirsdóttir, Joe Upham, UrbanGlass, Brooklyn, New York, and Richard Wilfred Yelle

Thanks to following for their contributions: Jane Bruce, Karen Chambers, James Harmon, Geoff Isles, Larry Jasse, Cybele Maylone, Andrew Page, Judith Schwartz, Joe Upham, Ann Wåhlström, RIchard Wilfred Yelle, and Tina Yelle

Dale Chihuly Macchia Series Demonstration Video

Production and Editing: Madeline Porsella 

Direction and Production: Barb Elam 

Dale Chihuly Venetian Series Demonstration Video

Production and Editing: Madeline Porsella 

Direction and Production: Barb Elam 

Blenko Glass Company

Research and text: Barb Elam, Colleen Terrell, and Catherine Whalen

Image Permissions: John Allen, Blenko Glass Company, and Richard Ritter

Blenko Video: Henry Halem

Thanks to following for their contributions: Hank Murta Adams, John Allen, Matt Carter, Joel Philip Myers, and Dean Six

Pilchuck Glass School

Research and text: Barb Elam, Colleen Terrell, and Catherine Whalen

Image Permissions: Hank Murta Adams, Henry Halem, James Carpenter Design Associates (JCDA), Joey Kirkpatrick, Flora C. Mace, Pilchuck Glass School, and Toots Zynsky

Kate Elliott, The Glancy Family, The Rakow Research Library at The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, Dick Busher, Flo Perkins, Preston Singletary Studios, and Laura Donefer

Thanks to following for their contributions: Kate Elliott, Henry Halem, Flora C. Mace and Joey Kirkpatrick, Polly Manning, Tina Oldknow, and Benjamin Wright

Hollister Annotated Bibliography

Research and Text: Catherine Whalen, Susie Silbert and Colleen Terrell 

Thanks to the following for their contributions: Irene Hollister 

Glass Community

Research and text: Colleen Terrell and Barb Elam

Additional assistance: Lauren Drapala, Natalie De Quarto, and Caleb Weintraub-Weissman 

Thanks to following for their contributions: Nola Anderson, The Rakow Research Library at The Corning Museum of Glass, Bob Vigiletti

Paul Hollister: The Gift of Criticism

Research and text: Catherine Whalen

Additional assistance: Barb Elam and Julia Carabatsos

Rethinking Studio Glass History

Research and text: Catherine Whalen

Additional assistance: Barb Elam and Julia Carabatsos