From the Director

Dear Friends,

As we begin a new year at Museum of Glass, I am reflecting on how proud I am that we continue to offer a unique and transformative experience to our visitors. Not only do we exhibit beautiful and thought-provoking art, we demonstrate and share the process of creating it.

I am pleased that we remain a vital resource to glass artists around the world, featuring them in our exhibitions and Hot Shop and presenting their stories authentically within a broader narrative of glass. Most of all, I am profoundly grateful to our loyal members and supporters who help make this special place possible.

We hope you will join us for two compelling exhibitions opening at MOG. Opening in February, She Bends: Redefining Neon Legacy will feature women and gender-expansive artists of historically under-represented communities in the neon art form. Then, in April, in partnership with Greentrike (Tacoma Children’s Museum), Illuminate: Glass Art for Early Learners will include hands-on learning activities for kids within the context of the exhibited glass art. Museum of Glass is thrilled to partner with these two organizations to amplify the voices, experiences, and identities of current and future artists, and we continue to seek opportunities to represent our entire community through the stories told in our galleries.

In other exciting news, we look forward to strengthening our impact outside the building with Tacoma Public Schools. Beginning this year, MOG will offer our Science of Art program and curriculum to every sixth grader in the school district. Through this initiative, more than 2,000 students will visit the Museum to gain a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of the sciences and the humanities.

The arts are necessary to our mutual well-being. They provide joy, nurture imaginations, create community, and illuminate possibilities. In these ways, glass is an important medium for our time. As a unique art material with the ability to capture and manipulate light, glass reveals truth and provides new perspectives. We are honored to have spent the past 20 years sharing this profound art form with visitors from around the world and with our neighbors here in Tacoma. We look forward to continuing our work of enriching lives through glass and glassmaking for many years to come.

This is an extraordinary time to be part of the Museum of Glass community. We hope to see you here soon!

Debbie Lenk
Executive Director