International Glass Weekend celebrates many facets of glass art

Why does Andrew Chasen love glass art? He says he’s drawn to the light. Sarasota’s light. Florida’s light; the ambient light that shifts, refracts and changes as you move around a piece. The International Glass Weekend celebrates that mercurial radiance at Chasen Galleries at The Mark in downtown Sarasota from Feb. 13-15. Its artworks are all glass, and all different. These luminous pieces have been fired in kilns, fused, cast or are molten glass that was shaped as it cooled. In the following conversation, Chasen shares his illuminating thoughts.

What surprises visitors the most about contemporary glass art?

How alive it feels. Glass art reacts to light; it changes as you move, as the light shifts and the time of day changes. Light enhances glass. Glass art isn’t a static medium in the way most people expect.

Why launch this exhibition now?

It’s the height of season, and glass is extremely popular in this area. A major part of that is the light we have — there’s sunshine all year long. Glass responds to light in a way few other media do. I thought it’d be a great opportunity to bring artists here, let people meet them, talk with them and learn about the processes behind the work.

Photo by Monica Roman Gagnier

What’s the origin of the first International Glass Weekend?

I created it, so it really is my baby. Glass art is a major part of what we exhibit and it felt like a natural extension. I asked about 40 artists if they wanted to participate and they got on board.

Why “International” …?

Because it incorporates works by glass artists from around the nation and the world. We represent artists from Canada, the U.K., Australia, France, Italy, Hungary and the United States. We also have work by artists who won’t be here but are strongly represented. It was important to me that this not feel provincial — glass is a global art form, and I wanted that reflected in the show.

Who are some international artists?

We’re also featuring work by Tomas Brzon from the Czech Republic. He works in optic glass — ultra-clear glass formed in molds and then polished. Some pieces are faceted like gemstones. One work I’m especially fond of, “Blue Sail,” sandwiches a blue triangular form between clear glass, creating a prism effect as you move around it. Tomas won’t be here in person, but he’s our top-selling artist.

Who are some home-grown artists?

Tom Marosz, who’s based in California, has become extremely popular with our collectors. His work is very mathematical and geometric — pieces that feel like wings or waves. Stephan Cox, from Wisconsin, works with sandblasted glass, which gives his pieces a matte finish. His designs are quirky, colorful, and just fun to look at. Randi Solin, from Vermont, creates more organic forms. Some of her pieces have windows cut into them, where you see color layered behind the glass. They’ve been very well received. Janet Sams, who’s based in Cape Coral, Florida, works with broken glass mounted on wood and sealed with resin. We focus on her abstract pieces — they’re very colorful and have a strong presence.

When can visitors meet these artists?

Not all of them will be here for the entire weekend. Some arrive for the invitation-only event Thursday night and leave early, while others stay through Sunday. You can schedule meetings with artists — that information will be available online. I’d encourage people to make appointments as early as possible.

Is there a trend or direction behind this contemporary work?

Not really. We have work by more than 40 glass artists, and every one of them does something different. Some artists work with dichroic glass that changes color depending on the light and surrounding environment. Others focus on form, texture, or optical effects. That diversity is part of what attracts people to glass.

What would you tell visitors who are more familiar with paintings and sculpture than with glass?

Keep an open mind and really observe the glass art. See what you’re drawn to. I’m often drawn to color first, but then I look at composition — especially it’s something I want to live with long-term.

When did glass art become central to your exhibitions?

I had a gallery on Palm Avenue in the 1990s and started exhibiting some glass art back then. When I returned to Sarasota in 2017, there was no dedicated glass gallery. The Hodgell Gallery had closed, and that gave me a real opening. Once we started seriously showing glass, it quickly became about 50 percent of our sales. That’s when we decided to open a downtown space devoted strictly to glass.

Why does glass art resonate so strongly with Gulf Coast collectors?

Again, it comes back to light. Glass absolutely glistens in most homes because there’s so much sunshine in this region. Art collectors want their pieces to be noticed, and light is a crucial factor with glass. Glass art in the shadows isn’t very compelling.

How has your relationship with glass art evolved?

My taste has become more sophisticated, but I still love variety. I have a modest glass collection at home — nothing huge or particularly valuable — but I genuinely enjoy living with this work.

What’s your advice to anyone starting a glass art collection?

Collect what you love! You’ll be the one who sees it every day, not your decorator, not your neighbors and not your kids. You have to love it.

What do you hope visitors will talk about on the ride home?

That they never expected to see so much beautiful glass art in one place.