Alex Bernstein is an award-winning glass artist who creates captivating sculptures that transcend the limitations of the material. His work, characterized by intricate forms, vibrant colors, and captivating narratives, invites viewers on a journey through light, form, and emotion.

Bernstein’s artistic journey began in a creative environment. Growing up in Asheville, North Carolina, he was surrounded by artists of the American studio glass movement, which laid the foundation for his passion for the medium. He honed his skills at the renowned Penland School of Crafts and at the Pilchuck Glass School, where he learned from some of the leading glassblowing masters.

Bernstein’s work primarily focuses on cast, carved, and polished glass sculptures. He meticulously manipulates the molten glass, creating intricate shapes and textures that capture the essence of his chosen themes. His use of color is equally masterful, with vibrant hues and subtle gradients that evoke a range of emotions and experiences.

A key aspect of Bernstein’s work is its narrative quality. His sculptures are not merely abstract forms but rather tell stories and evoke specific emotions in the viewer. He often draws inspiration from natural landscapes, human relationships, and the complexities of the human experience. In doing so, he creates a sense of connection between the viewer and the artwork, inviting them to participate in the unfolding story.

Bernstein’s work has been exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums around the world, including the Corning Museum of Glass, the Glasmusuem Frauenau in Germany, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Palm Springs Art Museum. He has also received numerous awards for his work, including the John F. and Anne E. Bemis Award from the American Craft Council and the Rakow Commission from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Beyond his artistic pursuits, Bernstein is also a dedicated educator. He served as the Department Head of Glass at the Worcester Center for Crafts in Massachusetts for several years, sharing his knowledge and passion with aspiring artists. In 2007, he returned to his hometown of Asheville to focus on his own studio practice and continues to inspire and influence the next generation of glass artists.

Alex Bernstein is a true master of his craft. His work is a testament to the power of glass as an artistic medium, capable of expressing a wide range of emotions and experiences. His sculptures are captivating and thought-provoking, inviting viewers to engage with the artwork and discover its deeper layers of meaning. As Bernstein continues to push the boundaries of glass art, his work undoubtedly inspires and delights audiences around the world.

Here are some additional resources for those who want to learn more about Alex Bernstein and his work:

The studio glass movement is a 20th-century art movement that emphasizes the artist as the designer and maker of one-of-a-kind objects, in a small studio environment. This movement enabled the sharing of technical knowledge and ideas among artists and designers that, in industry, would not be possible.

The studio glass movement originated in the United States in the early 1960s, with the work of Harvey Littleton and Dominick Labino. Littleton, a ceramics instructor at the University of Wisconsin, was inspired by the work of the California potter Peter Voulkos, and began experimenting with hot glass in his studio in 1958. Labino, a research scientist at Johns Manville, was developing new methods for melting and working with glass. In 1962, Littleton and Labino collaborated to hold a workshop at the Toledo Museum of Art, where they taught a group of artists how to work with glass in a studio setting.

The workshop was a success, and it inspired other artists to begin working with glass. In the years that followed, the studio glass movement spread to other parts of the United States, and to Europe, Australia, and Asia. Today, there are thousands of studio glass artists working around the world.

Studio glass artists use a variety of techniques to create their work, including blowing, casting, and flameworking. They often use traditional techniques, but they also experiment with new and innovative methods. Studio glass artists are not limited by the constraints of mass production, and they are free to explore their own creativity.

The studio glass movement has had a significant impact on the art world. It has helped to raise the status of glass as a fine art medium, and it has inspired a new generation of artists to explore the possibilities of glass. Studio glass is now a popular and respected art form, and it is enjoyed by collectors and enthusiasts around the world.

Here are some of the most important figures in the studio glass movement:

  • Harvey Littleton (1922-2013): Littleton is considered the “father” of the studio glass movement. He was a ceramics instructor at the University of Wisconsin, and he began experimenting with hot glass in his studio in 1958. In 1962, he collaborated with Dominick Labino to hold a workshop at the Toledo Museum of Art, where he taught a group of artists how to work with glass in a studio setting.
  • Dominick Labino (1910-1987): Labino was a research scientist at Johns Manville, and he was developing new methods for melting and working with glass. In 1962, he collaborated with Harvey Littleton to hold a workshop at the Toledo Museum of Art, where he taught a group of artists how to work with glass in a studio setting.
  • Dale Chihuly (born 1941): Chihuly is one of the most famous studio glass artists in the world. He is known for his large, colorful sculptures, which are often composed of intricate patterns and shapes.
  • Lino Tagliapietra (born 1934): Tagliapietra is an Italian glass artist who was known for his innovative techniques and his use of color. He is a major influence on the development of studio glass in Europe.
  • Jon Kuhn (born 1949) is one of the leading glass artists in the world. He is one of the pioneers of cold sculpted glass art.

The studio glass movement is a vibrant and exciting art form that is constantly evolving. It is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of the artists who work in this medium.

Habatat Galleries expands to North Carolina. We will be opening a new location in Winston Salem, NC in early 2023! We purchased a beautiful free standing 2500 sq ft building. Stay tuned for more info.

Check out this wonderful write up of owner of Habatat Galleries FL, Jay Scott.

 

http://voyagemia.com/interview/hidden-gems-meet-jay-scott-of-habatat-galleries/

Embrace Color in Your Space! Glass Art Ideas to Elevate Your Home

Habatat Galleries has specialized in glass sculpture since the early 1970’s. The gallery opened in 1971 and just a few years later decided to specialize in glass sculpture to help promote the new “Studio Glass Movement”. Glass sculpture, up until the rise of the Studio Glass Movement in the United States in the 1960’s, was done in factories by teams of workers. This new movement now focused on the individual artist, making one-of-a-kind work, and working out of his or her’s own studio most of the time. Different techniques beside the traditional blowing & casting of glass, started to be used, such as flame working, slumping, fusing, hot sculpting & cold working.

The first pieces produced by artists from this new Studio Glass Movement were very modest in price, usually ranging from $100 – $1000 though these prices didn’t stay that way for very long. This new movement captivated collectors and artists alike. The movement spread around the world and flourished. By the late 1980’s glass sculpture was starting to be found in major museum collections as well as high profile private collections. Glass had been viewed as a “craft”, not a fine art up until this time, but had now broken through that barrier. European artists like Stanislav Libensky & Jaroslava Bryctova and American artists like Dale Chihuly & William Morris, were now selling their sculpture for $25,000 to over $75,000.

Then the 1990’s arrived. Glass was now an established fine art. Work being made was selling as high as $300,000 and rising. Major corporations & companies had now added glass into their collections. Major fine art collectors are now taking notice. Artist, Dale Chihuly is now a household name, known throughout the world. Glass sculpture is now being considered an investment, not just a beautiful object. As we progress into the 21st century, some glass sculpture is being sold for as high as a few million dollars. Artists have taken the medium to new heights, with more complex techniques than ever. They continue to push the medium and find different ways to make beautiful fine art sculpture.

If you are an investor and not just an art collector, think about adding glass to your collection. It is a medium that is here to stay, and will increasingly grow in value over time. Plus, the beauty glass adds to any room, will not disappoint. 

The History of Habatat Galleries

HABATAT GALLERIES is the oldest gallery to exhibit “Contemporary Glass.”

“Contemporary Glass” began with a seminar at the Toledo Museum in 1962. In 1971 Linda Boone, Thomas Boone and Ferdinand Hampson opened Habatat Galleries in Dearborn, Michigan. Their degrees/ backgrounds were in art, design and business. Their finances consisted of saving $3,500.00 and receiving a matching SBA loan.

Habatat began as a more traditional Fine Art Gallery; they had no particular interest in glass. Their criteria was that the art they showed was quality, innovative and exciting. The main focus was on painting, prints and sculpture, but also showed art mediums that weren’t as accepted at the time such as photography, clay, fiber, folk art, art furniture and the newly explored material – glass.

In 1972, Habatat Galleries hosted the first Annual National (now International) Glass Invitational. This exhibition continues today, and is the oldest, most extensive, consistently documented exhibition of its kind in the World. All of the Worlds important artists in the field of Contemporary Glass have participated.

In 1981, Habatat moved and expanded the gallery to Lathrup Village, Michigan and in l982 made the risky decision to narrow the gallery’s focus to Contemporary Glass. The art establishment at the time didn’t take the medium of glass seriously. With this being the prevailing attitude, they felt that it was important for the gallery to build a credibility for the medium by showing its depth, range and consistent quality. It was important to present the glass in a way that it looked important so in addition to running quality exhibitions we put a lot of effort and money into printing and sending out impressive mailers and promotion.

The founder’s interest in photography and glass wasn’t originally about the quality of the work at that time we began showing it, but more a belief in the future possibilities of the mediums. In 2001 Thomas, Ferdinand and Linda were given awards for being Visionary’s by the Museum of Art and Design in New York. “It has been incredibly exciting and a privilege to have been a part of the growth of the Contemporary Glass Movement and see both it and the field of Photography become two of the most exciting art forms today” – Linda Boone.

In 1983, Thomas and Linda moved to Florida and opened a gallery in North Miami, Florida. Bay Harbor Island was the home to a number of quality galleries and the location was a good beginning in Florida for them. After a few years they realized that Miami catered to more local or ethnic collectors and artists and that increasingly our collector base was coming from further north. In l988, Thomas and Linda had a concept for the gallery center and found an empty warehouse space in Boca Raton owned by an investment company out of state. They proposed the idea of a gallery complex and designed a layout that would house multiple galleries in a 23,000 square foot space. The ownership realizing what they had to gain from changing the building to retail spaces with a unified concept gave them one year free rent and paid for the build out. They also allowed them say as to the quality of the galleries going in.

In the beginning there was only one other gallery, about eight months later another gallery came in and by the next year the center was filled with seven galleries. The Gallery Center was home to Gallery Camino Real (40 years in Boca Raton), Elaine Baker Gallery (20 year presence in the Center) and galleries such as Marboro Gallery and Ameringer Gallery from NY and Theo Waddington from London, among others. For over twenty years the Gallery Center served as a wonderful resource for collectors and it has become a destination for visitors that the local community can show off with pride. During season 1500-2000 people showed up for an opening event and tens of thousands of people visited the gallery as a destination site each year. The Gallery Center had been very successful but the time came when it was determined that greater opportunities were awaiting the gallery in West Palm Beach.

Habatat Galleries Florida also had a seasonal gallery in the Berkshires, Great Barrington, MA from 1998 until 2007.

After working for Linda Boone from 1999 until 2006, Jay Scott and Lindsey Scott opened up a Habatat Galleries in Tysons Corner, VA in 2007 and were cultivating a new market up in that area until Lindsey’s mother Linda Boone decided it was time to retire. Having such a long history in Florida and wanting to continue the legacy being built down there, Jay and Lindsey relocated to West Palm Beach and took over the flagship location of Habatat Galleries. The gallery was in West Palm Beach, FL on Clematis St from 2010 – 2017. It then moved to Northwood Village from 2017 – 2023. Jay Scott took over sole ownership of the gallery in 2017. He decided to relocate the gallery out of FL to NC in June of 2023. The gallery is now located at 3600 Yadkinville Rd in Winston Salem, NC.

Dan Dailey sculpture. His legacy has spanned over 40 years. He first had an appreciation for the medium, while helping construct a ceramic and glass studio at the Philadelphia College of Art, with Roland Jahn who was a teacher there. Dailey went on to become Dale Chihuly’s first graduate student at the Rhode Island School of Design. He became a product of the studio glass movement, which was initiated by Harvey Littleton in the 1960’s. Dailey set himself apart by having a modernism approach, and depicting human characters in his sculptures.

 

While learning at an artistic residency in 1972 on the island of Murano, Dan was able to study at the Venini Glass Factory. There he learned how to utilize industrial concepts, and create brass sculptural lamps & blown glass. This experience became a template for how Dailey would later create industrial pieces.

 

Upon returning to the States, he founded the Glass Department in Boston in1973. This set into motion countless lectures and teachings at Pilchuck Glass School, MIT,  The Rhode Island School of Design, and the Haystack Mountain School of crafts.  Dan Dailey has been recognized in over 100 exhibitions globally, and has produced over 70 architectural sculptures and commissions.

Written by Jacqueline Glass (Sales Consultant)

Going back to the beginning of the studio glass movement in the United States, Dale Chihuly would be a great place to start. No stranger to the spotlight, Chihuly has surpassed and perfected what it means to be a successful artist. He has pioneered his way into a household name, one glass gather at a time.

Dale Chihuly is an American artist born 1941 in Tacoma, Washington. During his student years, he studied glass blowing under Harvey Littleton at the University of Wisconsin. After being awarded a scholarship, Chihuly traveled to Italy where he worked for the renowned, Venini Fabrica in Murano. He was the first American glass artist to have the opportunity to apprentice under the Italian glass maestros.  Being a teacher at heart, Chihuly returned to the States, and created the RISD glassblowing program, where he taught for more than a decade. While teaching a summer class in Tacoma, WA, Dale decided to implement a workshop called “artists teaching artists”. This program evolved into the Pilchuck Glass School.  At Pilchuck, some of the most influential artists have evolved and gone on to solidifying glass careers of their own.

Chihuly took traditional Venician glassblowing to another level. Being known for his technical innovations, we have witnessed countless vibrant and breathtaking installations in a wide range of patterns, light, and shapes. Chihuly’s most well know installations, represented at botanical gardens, hotels, and museums worldwide, can give the impression of full-scale trees or multistory glass curls. His “chandeliers” can reach up to 20ft of blown glass. Dale’s pieces are created by allowing gravity to have its way with the molten glass, and the outcome is timeless.

Written by Jacqueline Glass – Sales Associate, Habatat Galleries FL