high5 glass: mary van cline evolves

 No matter what medium you embrace prepare to be inspired by the art, stories, skill, talent, process, determination and commitment of the artists featured in the High5 series. By focusing on one medium at a time, we have the opportunity to closely examine the work being created in that medium. The five artists featured this week make art that resonates with me and were chosen from a long list of work that fits that category – in other words, the list is incomplete, continues to grow and will be revisited for future posts. All links to the artist and resources are at the end of the post.

[nonmember]The remainder of this archived post is for Members Only. Click here to become a member or to get a one day pass. If you are a member, please login to view the post. [/nonmember]

[private_archives]

Ivory Figure With Jade Leaves, ivory/jade pate de verre, 53″ x 22″ x 8″

We start our week-long exploration of glass with Mary Van Cline’s cast glass figures.  Best known for pioneering the reproduction of black and white photographs onto photosensitive glass, Van Cline’s female forms are part of a new series that developed from her desire to take the women in her photographs and give them more dimension.  She has only been making the figures for about a year and a half, employing the pate de verre technique of casting which involves making a paste of glass, applying the paste to the surface of the mold and then firing the piece.  The artist, who has been working with photographic images on glass for two decades, found a way to take her art to a different level by moving the images from 2D to 3D. She never abandoned the work that has fueled her artistic path, instead, she added a new dimension and with that, opened up a way to give viewers a deeper experience.

Ivory Figure, ivory pate de verre, 53″ x 22″ x 8″

Van Cline earned her MFA in Glass Sculpture and Design from the Massachusetts College of Art.  The artist also holds a degree in design and architecture.  Both the photographic imagery on glass and figurative sculptures cause a stir at the same time that they evoke stillness and reflection. Quiet, majestic beauty at its best.

Ivory Figure With Leaves, ivory pate de verre, 53″ x 22″ x 8″

Work In Progress

Healing Passage of Time, 6′ h x 10′ w x 1′, photosensitive glass

Links:

Mary Van Cline website – for a look at her process, go to the Projects link on her menu. Be sure to look at the archives too.

Massachusetts College of Art- information about their glass program.

Hawk Gallery video conversations – don’t miss these two interviews with Van Cline and fellow glass artist Cappy Thompson. Both offer interesting thoughts about how they work, how they arrived at certain decisions and how they solve design challenges.

Pate de Verre – a definition of this form of glass casting.

The Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of high-five is “a greeting or an expression of admiration in which two people each raise a hand above their shoulder and bring the fronts of their hands together with force.” The High5 series allows me to indulge in a week-long exploration of one medium, celebrating five artists in that medium who are high on my list.
[/private_archives]