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Seekers® Glass Gallery presents the work of Kyle
Gribskov, who creates original, colorful designs in vase and bowl forms,
rondelles, paperweights and ornaments using techniques of glassblowing that date
back to ancient times.
His original style incorporates rich, opaque
colors encased in masses of clear crystal, creating optical distortions and
reflections when viewed from different angles.
Kyle’s work now includes intricate bowl forms
made entirely of thousands of individual murrini evoking landscape scenes. He
also creates a series of double encalmo "Teardrop" vases.
For his Gossamer paperweights, swirls and webs
of iridescent glass envelope masses of shimmering crystal, creating an ethereal
effect enhanced by interior bubbles. Many think his ornaments resemble hot air
balloons, with the teardrop extension from the main bulb forming the gondola.
His colors, which range from muted pastels to
vivid jewel tones, are achieved through special formulations of metallic oxides
— such as cobalt, gold, copper and others — which are mixed into the molten
glass.
Capturing the fluidity of the glass medium,
Gribskov layers his colors to suggest the random patterns found in nature, such
as flowing lava, cloud formations and tide pools.
Gribskov’s studio is a former farm, nestled
in the remote hills of Washington State.
Gribskov creates each piece at the end of a
metal blowpipe, manipulating and blowing the glass at temperatures in excess of
2000 degrees F. He blows each piece freely, without the use of molds, primarily
from glass he has formulated and made himself.
The glassblowing methods he uses are thousands
of years old, with only a few, minor innovations reflecting 20th century
technology.
When completed, each piece is individually
signed or initialed and dated.
Gribskov attended Portland State University,
the University of Arizona and the University of Oregon and studied glassblowing
with internationally renowned artist Paul Marioni. He worked in stained glass
for 15 years and has worked exclusively in blown glass since 1982.
His work has been featured in the New York
Times and shown at galleries, universities and juried exhibitions throughout the
United States and is represented in numerous public and private collections.
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