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Seekers presents the work of Michael Trimpol,
whose original designs in handblown glass are distinguished by elegant, sensuous
shapes inspired by nature.
A versatile artist, Trimpol creates a wide
range of work that includes perfume vials, paperweights, vases and sculpture. He
designs and executes each piece himself, using glassblowing techniques that date
back to antiquity.
His Ball Top series of perfume vials feature a
variety of design variations, each toped with a crystal sphere that is a
decorative part of the stopper.
His shapes are created by freely manipulating the molten glass,
without use of molds, at temperatures of approximately 2200 degrees F. Trimpol’s
designs reveal a fascination with the optical properties of glass. He uses a
stunning array of 27 colors, mostly transparent and all with an intense, jewel
like quality.
Trimpol creates the internal forms first, then
encases the entire piece in clear crystal. For contrast, he etches some surfaces
to achieve a lustrous satin finish, with a cut and polished "window"
through which to view the interior of the bottle. When completed, each piece is
signed and dated.
"I envy the timeless, simple elegance and
the harmony of nature’s proportions and strive to capture them in glass,"
says Trimpol, explaining his sources of inspiration.
Born in Philadelphia, Trimpol currently lives and works in
Stowe, Vermont.
Educated at Concordia University, Montreal, and a graduate of The Sheridan
College School of Crafts & Design, Trimpol began working in stained glass in
1976 and became a glassblower in 1982.
Among numerous glassblowing workshops he has completed are
those with internationally renowned glass artists Richard Marquis and Sonja
Bloomthal. He established his own studio, Hotglass, Incorporated, in 1986.
Trimpol’s works have been exhibited at galleries, museums and juried shows
throughout North America.
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