Studio Sensibilities and Specialty Lines
The Blenko Museum, Seattle, WA
May 2003 to February 2004

Since the inception of its tableware line in 1929, the Blenko Glass Company has exhibited a unique willingness to experiment. This exhibition examines this tendency and frames the resulting works as a precursor of what ultimately became known as the Studio Glass Movement.

From its founding in 1921 until 1929, Blenko produced only colored sheet glass for windows. In a leap of faith and with no prior qualifications Blenko introduced a decorative wares line as a means to survive the Depression. Entering the domestic art glass market without preconceptions Blenko effectively brought to this genre an entirely new and darign perspective.

As the earliest documented example of an experimental aesthetic, the Ruby "web" vase in the exhibition also represents Blenko's first specialty line, circa 1936. This "studio sensibility" was also clearly expressed in 1946 when William Blenko Jr. saw the need for a resident designer. Each of the first three designers, trained as ceramic artists, were given free reign to produce whatever forms they saw fit and each one took full advantage of that freedom to produce bold new shapes.

In the mid 1950's, under the guidance of designer Wayne Husted, the Blenko Company efectively abandoned its functional focus in their tableware line and began producing oversize objects created as sculptural works of art. From this point forward, even normal sized vases, jars, and decanters were often rendered unsuitable for utilitarian purposes due to their stretched and convoluted forms.

During the mid 60's Joel Philip Myers, inspired by Harvey Littleton, father of the Studio Glass Movement, became the first Blenko designer to actually blow glass himself. In this capacity, for the first time, a Blenko designer was able to directly and literally express the "studio" approach to glassmaking.

The exhibit includes examples of the work of all seven of Blenko's resident designers and represents eight of the Company's specialty lines: Cobweb (c. 1936), Rialto (1960), Raindrop (1960), Regal (1960-61), Charisma (1972), Rock (1982), Big Sky (1982-83), and Olana (2001-02).

This Exhibition is dedicated to Jim & Barbara Day. Without their generous support it would not have been possible.