Blashcka Art Glass Exhibit Now Open

Truth be told, we tend not to like most popular art glass. One word: Chihuly. That hack has made a life for himself by self-promoting schlock. Ask most non-art fans to name one artist who works in glass and they probably couldn't. Ask anyone who has been to the Bellagio in Vegas and they will cite Chihuly as the be all and end all. But we suppose if your only exposure to art glass was in Vegas, it's certainly a step above the Murano glass they sell in the NPR and PBS gift catalogs.

At any rate, we were heartened by the Glass: Material Matters exhibit we saw at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art last weekend. Not a Chihuly was to be found. There is a god.

This morning, we ran across information on an art glass exhibit featuring work by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka that just opened at the National Museum of Ireland (Natural History) by way of Boing Boing. The Blashcka's were pioneers in both glass making and as natural history artists. While most artists stuck to line drawings or watercolors, they made their animals and plants in three-dimensional glass beginning in the mid-19th century. One of the Mister Fanboy staff once worked at an aquarium that featured an exhibit with their art. Even if your travel plans do not include Ireland in the immediate future, check out the links to the Museums and other organizations that are highlighting their work. And if you can, get down to LA to see Glass: Material Matters.