By Francine Valline, Fine Art Consultant

What is it about glass that entrances us?  Visit a glory hole (glass blowing studio) and you will find yourself captivated.  Watching the glassblower is mesmerizing, as hypnotic as watching a snake or a fire, and everyone that visits Gallery MAR is intrigued by the glass art of Colorado sculptor Jared Davis.

Fossil- Jupiter Vessel Steel Blue

The history of glass making can be traced back to 3500 BC in Mesopotamia, where the earliest known glass objects discovered were beads.  The earliest evidence of glass blowing was found in Iran, where many bottles were found in excavations from the 2^nd millennium.

Jupiter Swan, Purple

Glass blowing refers to the expansion of a molten blob of glass by introducing a small amount of air into it through a long rod.

There are many ways to apply patterns and color to blown glass.  Artists roll molten glass in powdered color or larger pieces of colored glass.

Jupiter Vessel, Amethyst

Complex patterns can be created using cane (rods of colored glass) and murine (rods cut in cross sections to reveal patterns.) Etching with an abrasive substance creates art on the surface of glass after it is blown.

“The fragile grandeur of the desert southwest to me is like an open book, allowing a close up inspection of the forces of creation.”  – Jared Davis

Tags: Jared Davis. Park City glass, utah glass
Posted in Gallery Insights