Alongside the wide-sweeping social and political upheaval of the 1960s, a new form of glass art was born that gave artists more freedom to explore political and artistic ideas. While glass had long been available to artists, new technology developed in 1962 allowed them to work with it in smaller studio spaces, which paved the way for artists to take glass art in a new direction.
The new exhibition “Alchemy” at the Penland School of Crafts features 12 artists who take glass art in new and different directions. Host Frank Stasio talks to Robin Dreyer, communications manager for the Penland School of Crafts, about their glass program.
Artist Dean Allison also joins the conversation to share how he creates his three-dimensional glass portraits, which are on display as part of the exhibition. “Alchemy” is on display in the Penland Gallery and Visitors Center in Penland until September 16.