Illuminating the Past: Glass sculpture by Northwest Coast artists
Tlingit artists working in glass use stories and imagery from the past to form a new language of Northwest Coast art. The first generation of Native Americans working in studio glass has developed into a supportive and collaborative community centered on the Northwest Coast. Tlingit glass artists draw on cultural stories and iconography which connect them to traditions of their ancestors. The artists fuse traditions with personal identities through glass sculptures which are blown, cast, sandcarved or made of thousands of glass beads. Beyond the studio, glass artists share knowledge through exhibitions, public installations, storytelling and student mentoring. Glass has the ability to diffuse light and Tlingit artists are utilizing the medium to illuminate knowledge about cultural traditions.
