Museum of Glass collections reflect a combination of experimental works and the legacy of the Studio Glass movement and its antecedents. Through the Hot Shop, the Museum invites experienced national and international artists, and emerging artists to develop new work, often in an experimental context. As a result, work created in the Hot Shop is at the heart of aesthetic and technical developments in art utilizing the medium of glass. Objects and archival materials from the collections provide tangible examples of the diversity of the medium of glass as an art form.

Starting before the Museum opening in 2002, Museum of Glass purchased a few objects for display. With the birth of the Visiting Artist (VA) Residency program, the Museum made the decision to retain one object each from the artists to document the history of the organization. In 2007, the Museum redefined its mission and announced plans to become a collecting institution. As a result, the Permanent Collection was founded with those original (200) objects. Since 2008, the Museum has secured additional works from VA residences and from individual private donations. In tandem with collecting glass artworks, through digital photography and video, the Museum has actively documented the process of making glass art and the work of those artists who have completed residencies in our Hot Shop, which are the core of the Museum’s archival collections.

Production glass of Nineteenth- and early twentieth- century and its legacy

This collection includes glass produced for mass-consumption in factories in the United States and Europe and is identified by the designer or factory, not the actual producer. These works, and their resulting legacy define the antecedent to the Studio Glass movement. Examples in MOG's Permanent Collection include Steuben (United States), Barovier & Torso, Lalique, Schneider, and Iittala (Europe).

Possibly František Halama (Czech, 1913-1976).  Horse Handle Powder box and Lisquor Set, circa 1939. Malachite glass, pressed, matte-cut, and polished; 11 1/4 x 7 1/2 x 4 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, from t

Designed by Oiva Toikka (Finnish, born 1931).  American Goldfinch, 2004. Blown glass; 2 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 2 7/8 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, Museum purchase from Iittala, Inc. Photo courtesy of Iittala, Inc.

Studio Glass movement (1960–2000), pioneers and legacy

The Studio Glass movement began in 1962, with Harvey Littleton’s workshops at Toledo Museum of Art. Studio glass differs from production glass as its creation centers around private hot shops, not factories, with an emphasis on the artist as a maker. This collection tells the story of the development of Studio Glass and documents the legacy in glass today.

Important Studio Glass narratives center on specific glass hubs: people, education centers, and private studios that became centers for collaboration, education, and exchange of ideas that became central to the growth and development of the movement.

Judith Schaechter (American, born 1961).  Flasher, 2006. Stained-glass lightbox; 35 13/16 x 25 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of Albert and Margarita Waxman. Photo by Dominic Episcopo, courtesy of the art

Jaroslava Brychtová (Czech, born 1924) and Stanislav Libenský (Czech, 1921 - 2002).  The Second Queen, 1991-1992. Mold-melted glass, cut and ground; 32 1/8 x 25 1/2 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of Lisa

Therman Statom (American, born 1953).  Indices del Pacifico, 2000. Glass, paint, and found objects; 32 boxes, each: 18 x 18 x 3 1/2 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of Ralph and Eugenia Potkin. Ph

Lino Tagliapietra (Italian, born 1934).  Manhattan Sunset, 1997. Blown glass with canepick-ups, battuto and inciso cut; steel and glass base; 67 x 60 x 20 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington. Photo cou

Contemporary glass (2000–present)

The contemporary glass collection concentrates on how the medium of glass interacts with contemporary art. This collection includes two primary focuses. The first, glass secessionism, is defined by Tim Tate and William Warmus as a movement away from “technique” towards “artistic vision” and concept. It documents the inclusion of glass as one of many used materials with a movement away from the vessel as the primary form. The second focus features non-glass artists who are experimenting with the material.

Vladimira Klumpar (Czech, born 1954). Breakthrough in Dark, 2011. Cast glass; 27 3/4 x 27 3/4 x 7 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the artist and Schantz Galleries.

Jessica Loughlin (Australian, born 1975) Virga, 2011. Kiln-formed glass; 13 × 14 5/8 × 2 5/8 in. (33 × 37.1 × 6.7 cm). Collection of Museum of Glass, gift of Mihail Lari and Scott Murray (2022.14).

Tim Tate (American, born 1960). We Rose Up, 2017. Cast objects, mirrors, and LED's; 32 × 32 × 4 in. (81.3 × 81.3 × 10.2 cm). Collection of Museum of Glass, courtesy of the artist (2022.8).

Visiting artist residency program archive

Objects are selected for the Visiting Artist Archives by the curatorial staff in consultation with the artists from the Visiting Artist Residency Program. These objects are supported by the Visiting Artist Digital Archive, which provides a rich historical context for the collection, through photo and video documentation.

Joe Fedderson (American, born 1953).  Wilderness, Made at the Museum in 2005. Blown glass; 19 1/4 x 19 1/4 x 13 1/4 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the artist.

Richard Marquis (American, born 1945). Untitled, 2016. Blown glass; zanfirico technique, murrine, found object, sheet glass, and paint; 14 1/4 × 10 1/4 × 5 1/8 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the ar

Paul Marioni (American, born 1941).  Pink Head, Made at the Museum in 2011. Blown glass and enamels; 13 x 5 x 5 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the artist.

Armelle Bouchet O’Neill (French, born 1980).  Kasvu, Made at the Museum in 2013. Blown, etched, and sand-carved glass; 21 1/2 x 6 x 8 3/4 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the artist. Photo by D

Patti Warashina (American, born 1940).  Fish Pond, Made at the Museum in 2014. Glass, earthenware, underglaze, glaze, and mixed media; 15 x 19 x 16 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the artist. Photo

Alex Stisser (American, born 1974).  Silver Loaf, Made at the Museum in 2010. Blown glass and silver foil; 8 1/2 x 17 x 7 3/4 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the artist. Photo by Duncan Price.

Erich Woll (American, born 1970).  Mistakes Will Be Made (Blue-Footed Boobies) , 2014. Hot-sculpted glass. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, Gift of the artist. Photo by Mark Aimerito.

VISITING ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM DIGITAL ARCHIVE

The Visiting Artist (VA) Residency Program Digital Archive is a robust collection of digital images and video that document and enhance the live action of the VA Residency Program. Images from artists, video taken during the residencies in the Hot Shop, and edited films document and contextualize the works of visiting artists into the larger context of art and culture.

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Community Collections – Kids Design Glass™

This collection documents and collects works from the Kids Design Glass™ program.

Designed by Hannah Wilson (age 11), made by Museum of Glass Hot Shop Team.  Sockness Monster, 2009. Blown and hot-sculpted glass; 15 x 14 x 3 1/2 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington. Photo by Duncan Price.

Hannah Wilson (age 11).  Sockness Monster, 2009. Crayon on paper; 11 x 8 1/2. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington.  Sockness Monster artist’s statement: My sockness Monster eats all of the socks when they are i

Designed by Erica Hankins (age 8), made by Museum of Glass Hot Shop Team.  Shark Attack!, 2007. Blown and hot-sculpted glass; 11 x 9 x 13 1/2 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, sponsored by Joseph N. Walter a

Erica Hankins (age 8).  Shark Attack!, 2007. Ink on paper; 11 x 8 1/2 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington. Shark Attack! artist’s statement: It’s scary!

Designed by Forrest Brennan (age 10), made by Museum of Glass Hot Shop Team.  Pig in a blanket, 2010. Blown and hot-sculpted glass; 8 1/4 x 15 x 6 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington. Photo by Duncan Price

Forrest Brennan (age 10).  Pig in a blanket, 2010. Pencil on paper; 8 1/2 x 11 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington.  Pig in a blanket artist’s statement: This little Pigy is in his blanket because he d

Designed by Benjamin Gruenbaum (age 9), made by Museum of Glass Hot Shop Team and Joseph Gregory Rossano (American, born 1962).  Venus Flytrap with a light saber, 2008. Blown and hot-sculpted glass; 17 x 16 x 7 in. Collection of Muse

Benjamin Gruenbaum (age 9).  Venus Flytrap with a light saber, 2008. Ink on paper; 11 x 8 1/2. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington. Venus Flytrap with a light saber artist’s statement: This design has come out of lo

Library Collection

Museum of Glass Library is a non-circulating collection of books, periodicals, and artist files that have been collected in conjunction with the Permanent Collection and exhibition programs as well as general research on the medium of glass. The core collection of 2,200 books and periodicals was donated in memory of M. Blair Corkran by his wife, Mary Hale Corkran that supported his work as an avid glass collector from the 1970s until 2011. Click here to view the Museum of Glass library collection. Click here to make an appointment with the curatorial department to view these materials.

Donations of Art

Museum of Glass welcomes gifts of art on an ongoing basis. Our Permanent Collections include twentieth and twenty-first-century contemporary glass. Please contact our Curatorial Department via email or at 253.284.4705 to discuss your gift.

Rights and Reproduction Policy