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Seekers Glass Gallery presents the work of
master glass artist James H. Nadal, who was present at the beginning of the
American Studio Glass Movement (circa 1962).
We’ve selected James’ series of
Latticinio glass stemware and candlesticks because although the technique has
been around for thousands of years, Jim has designed it to look contemporary --
as when old is new again.
Latticinio entails using many threads and
strings of glass, encased within clear crystal, to create twisted DNA-like helix
chains of glass threads.
Nadal and some of today’s best known glass
artists consider the blowing of goblets in the classic Venetian manner a
valuable exercise in the constant improving and honing of glassblowing
techniques. Some artists maintain that literally all the principles of
glassblowing can be learned by making goblets. Scale is the only difference
between goblets and larger pieces.
In the mid 1960s James studied art at the
University of the Americas, Mexico City, and at the renowned Pratt Institute,
Brooklyn before earning his bachelor’s degree from MacMurray College, IL. He
went on to earn a Masters of Fine Arts degree in painting from the University of
Iowa, then pursued graduate studies in Glass at Illinois State University,
Normal, in 1971-72.
He has worked as a glass artist and teacher
since the 1960s. He has taught glass at the University of Iowa; the Naples Mill
School; the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Penland School of Craft,
NC. He has also lectured at Peabody College, TN; Connecticut State College; and
the Tyler School of Art, PA.
Nadal’s
work is represented in numerous private and public collections, including The
Corning Museum of Glass, NY; the Lannan Foundation; and the Renwick Gallery of
the Smithsonian, Washington, DC.
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