Toots Zynsky's filet de verre vessels are spectacularly masterful explorations of color. In this 2011 video, she explains the inspiration behind her craft and we are given a glimpse into the process of creating a vessel from start to finish.
Dale and Doug Anderson are celebrated figures in the world of contemporary glass art, known for their extraordinary contributions as collectors and patrons of the craft. The Andersons have spent decades curating one of the most comprehensive and influential collections of studio glass, with an emphasis on showcasing the artistry and innovation of glassmakers from the 20th and 21st centuries. Their passion for glass art began in the 1980s—Dale met gallerist Doug Heller in the '70s and became enamored by the glass in his gallery—and quickly grew into a lifelong pursuit to preserve, support, and elevate the field. Reflecting on their journey, Doug remarked in a 2005 interview with curator Tina Oldknow, "We never intended to become collectors. One piece turned into a second, and then suddenly it was something much larger."
"Collecting is not just about ownership; it’s about fostering relationships with artists and sharing their vision with the world." - Dale Anderson
The Andersons collect a diverse range of art, from Northwest Coast tribal art to contemporary photography, but are particularly recognized for their commitment to the Studio Glass Movement, a pivotal moment in art history that redefined glass as a medium for creative expression rather than mere functionality. Their collection includes works by iconic glass artists such as Dale Chihuly, Lino Tagliapietra, Harvey Littleton, and William Morris, among countless others. Speaking about their affinity for the movement, Dale has noted, “What drew us in was the energy and innovation—it felt like being part of something transformative.” Beyond amassing an impressive array of works, the Andersons have actively supported emerging and established artists through philanthropy, commissioning new works, and organizing exhibitions that bring glass art to wider audiences, in addition to developing close friendships with many artists (Chihuly, Toots Zynsky, and Flora Mace and Joey Kirkpatrick, to name but a few).
Their dedication has made a lasting impact on the art world...to date, Doug has donated more than 1,200 works from their collections to 14 museums in the United States and London.
Their dedication has made a lasting impact on the art world, with pieces from their collection featured in prominent museums, galleries, and cultural institutions; to date, Doug has donated more than 1,200 works from their collections to 14 museums in the United States and London. As Dale eloquently expressed, “Collecting is not just about ownership; it’s about fostering relationships with artists and sharing their vision with the world.” Dale and Doug Anderson’s legacy lies not only in the remarkable works of art they have collected but also in their unwavering advocacy for the importance of glass as a fine art form. Their efforts have helped cement glassmaking as an integral part of contemporary art, inspiring future generations of artists, collectors, and enthusiasts alike.
Sources:
Oral history interview with Dale and Doug Anderson, Archives of American Art
Toots Zynsky b. 1951
Born in Massachusetts in 1951, Toots Zynsky is a master of Studio Glass, celebrated for her characteristic heat-formed glass thread vessels and her fearless exploration of form and color.
Utilizing a process of her own design, known as “filet de verre,” Zynsky layers and arranges super fine glass threads on fiberglass board in a method the artist has likened to drawing or painting. These thin threads are then thermally fused in the kiln as the artist shapes and curves the glass into the fluid waves that characterize her vessels.
Known as Toots since childhood, Zynsky received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1973, working under the tutelage of famed glass sculptor Dale Chihuly. She and fellow classmates James Carpenter, Bruce Chao, Dan Dailey, and Therman Statom explored the potential of glass, pushing the boundaries of the medium.
While still at RISD, Zynksy helped Dale Chihuly found and develop the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington. After graduating in 1973, she went to work at Pilchuck. This is where she conceived her “spun glass” and pulled-thread technique she named filet-de-verre, inspired by images of barbed wire, which she has describes as “a powerful symbol of the failure of humanity…material to keep each other apart.”
In the 1980s, Zynsky went to Brooklyn as Assistant Director at the New York Experiment Glass Workshop (known today as Urban Glass). She traveled to Europe on a small grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and, with Mathijs Teunissen Van Manen, a Dutch artist and inventor, invented a glass thread-pulling machine that bettered her filet-de-verre process.
Zynsky suffered several personal losses over the course of only a few years. She struggled in the studio until, fatigued by prismatic colors, she focused on red, which she calls “the color of life”. These pieces, which incorporate blacks and purples that deepen and shadow, are memento mori. The act of placing glass threads brings each piece to life and hold the memory of the people she’s loved and lost. Not surprisingly, her work in this phase has been a solitary, contemplative pursuit, a thing apart from the group dynamic that originally lured her to the craft.
Toots Zynsky’s work is highly sought after by collectors and commands impressive prices on the secondary market. Her work is in the collections of notable institutions including The Corning Museum of Glass, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Houston, Victoria and Albert Museum of London and many more.
