Glass historian and educator Mary Cheek Mills unravels the mystery of one of the most-used materials in the decorative arts. Through examples from collections at the American History Museum, Renwick Gallery, the Corning Museum of Glass, and other sources, learn about glass from the Colonial period to the present. Examine work by some of medium’s most celebrated creators, including John Frederick Amelung, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Harvey Littleton, and Dale Chihuly.
Participants also view basic glassworking techniques, such as free blowing, pressing, cutting, and engraving, and learn how to determine how and when objects were made. To help develop connoisseurship skills, Mills shares important details for assessing glass color, weight, form, function, material, technique, and decoration. In addition, Mills provides practical information on sources for glass, including reputable auction houses and dealers, museums that have significant collections, websites with educational resources, and other useful material.
Mills is education programs manager at the Corning Museum of Glass and on the faculty of the Smithsonian’s Masters of Arts Program in the History of the Decorative Arts.
