Luminous Impressions:
Prints from Glass

Exhibition Statement

An exhibition of original work created by an experimental process producing prints from glass plates. Plus, glass sculpture from two of America’s major glass artists, Dale Chihuly and Harvey Littleton.

VITREOGRAPHY – The process of producing prints from glass plates.

Harvey Littleton was the catalyst and initiator who deserves foremost recognition, especially for his persistence in pursuing this new form of artistic production.

Littleton is well known for being instrumental in forging the contemporary glass movement by persisting in the exploration of innovative technology. His long standing interest in prints began at the University of Wisconsin where he taught from 1951-1977. His interest in printmaking was directly related to his interest in glass. He strongly believed that glass could be used as a printing matrix. In 1975, Littleton received a University of Wisconsin Committee Research grant to develop prints from glass plates.

He continued his experimentation with glass plates and after moving to North Carolina in 1976, began to involve other artists in the process. Littleton’s involvement with these visiting artists resulted in much experimentation with tools and processes. They were readily using the diamond point stylus, etching acids, flexible shaft tools and assorted other drawing or scraping instruments, as well as sandblasting with a variety of resists including wet clay and Elmer’s glue. Through further exploration the artists were combining several processes and were able to achieve tonal variations, textures, detail, and fine lines.

The National Endowment for the Arts, through the Visual Arts Forum program, made it possible that a group of artists were invited to spend time at Littleton Studio making prints from glass. Each artist arrived at the print shop with no previous knowledge of the process, although most had some degree of traditional printmaking experience. A new vocabulary, innovative ideas, and fresh methods were discovered. Each guest artist left having found and explored another means by which to express ideas.

This exhibition chronicles the development of this technique by showing the earliest attempts by Littleton and other early experimenters, the subsequent explorations by glass artists, the results of the NEA visiting artists, and work by others invited to explore the process within the creative atmosphere of the Littleton Studio.

The “Luminous Impressions” exhibition was organized by the Mint Museum, Department of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina. The Schneider Museum’s presentation of this exhibition is supported by funds from the Friends of the Museum, Southern Oregon State College, and a grant from the Oregon Arts Commission.

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