Pittsburgh Glass Center | Art on Fire

For me glass has three categories: utilitarian, decorative and conceptual. Pittsburgh Glass Center has all forms on display in their show “Art On Fire”, an auction they’re hosting on September 13th.

Glass has unique properties to it, you can see your reflection while seeing through it. Glass can be incredibly fragile - for example, christmas ornaments. I once took an ornament out of the box and it broke. Handle with care. The thickness of the glass can change the quality and meaning. Thicker glass can make something more sturdy and more functional.

There is often a connotation of glass being decorative, which can be considered utilitarian in a way. “It looks nice” is what you’ll hear in a store. Glassmaking is skill based and technical - because of that, people tend to think that glass is about the craft and not the concept. But glass has the benefit of being able to go either way, unlike painting for the most part. Getting beyond the craft of the work you will find strong concepts at PGH Glass Center. 

“Art On Fire” is an excellent show that exemplifies the quality of work at PGH Glass Center. It is important to support the arts, and especially important to support local artists. Trust me, the candle is worth the game.