Glass Art // Refract Glass Festival (and other free options)
David Huchthausen, “Disc 3” (close up); Kait Rhoads, “Cyanea”; Cappy Thompson, “Untitled” (close up). Photos Carrie Bierman.
WHEN: October 17-20, 2019
I’ll admit it to you – I’m a newbie when it comes to glass art in Seattle. If the category on Jeopardy were “Seattle Glass Art”, I probably wouldn’t even get the $100 question right, unless it had something to do with Dale Chihuly. And then, let’s be honest, my chances would only be 50/50.
But I love the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum and go there anytime I have friends or family in from out of town. (Pro Tip: If you go to the museum, stay for the videos at the end. They show you how Chihuly puts together those huge chandeliers!)
So, when I heard about Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience, a weekend long Seattle glass festival in its inaugural year, I thought it would be a fun, easy way to learn more about glass in Seattle. And to make it even better, many of the events are free! I wanted to share with you the ones I’m most excited about. (And if you missed Refract, I’ve listed other free ways to see glass art in Seattle.)
What can I do at Refract for free?
Open artist studios – On Saturday (Oct 19) and Sunday (Oct 20), from 11am-3pm, 17 glass artists are opening their studios to the public, which they almost never do. I am super excited about this because I love getting a behind the scenes look at how artists create their work. I’m not familiar with any of the artists, but the Refract website has helpful pictures showing an example of each artist’s work.
Artist Demos – There are several glass blowing demonstrations around town. You can find the complete list here, but I’m excited about checking out the demos at the Pratt Fine Arts Center.
Closing Party at Pike Place Market – On Sunday (Oct 20), the festival is hosting their closing party at Pike Place Market, featuring live music and glass blowing demonstrations. If you get hungry (which always happens to me at Pike Place!) they are also offering five wine pairings with “glass inspired” bites for $20.
What if I missed it?
If you miss the festivities this weekend, never fear. They are planning to do it again next year! But in the meanwhile, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy glass art in Seattle for free.
Galleries and Studios
There are galleries and studios all over Seattle and many are free to the public year-round. I particularly enjoy Glasshouse-Studio in Pioneer Square, which is the oldest glassblowing studio in the area and has a gallery and glass-blowing demonstrations. I also like Vetri Gallery, which features more contemporary work, and is just south of Pike Place Market. You’ve probably walked past both these places. Next time pop in for a quick dose of local art!
SeaTac Airport
Ok, I’m not suggesting a trip to the airport just to see glass art, but if you ever find yourself with a delayed flight, you should check out SeaTac’s great collection of glass work!
Concourse A: Check out Cappy Thompson’s “I Dream of Spirit Animals.” It’s at the end of the concourse and is the largest single-image glass painting in the country.
Concourse D: As you take the escalators down to the North Satellite Train Station, in the bay windows you’ll find two pieces by Dick Weiss: “Cow on its Side,” which is a stained glass mosaic with rows of red, yellow and orange circles, and “For AW,” which has sections of beveled glass in a blue and green vase shape.
Are there other places I should go to check out free glass art?
REFRACT POSTSCRIPT: I went to several the open studios and they were fantastic. The artists were there in person to answer questions and explain their working process. It was an intimate experience that felt like it could only happen in a town like Seattle. Definitely something to check out at Refract next year! Below are some photos from the studios I visited.
