November 2007
Going Places:
Find a Sense of Wonder at Museum of Glass
If you go to Tacoma’s Museum of Glass, prepare to
open wide and say “ahhhhh.”
The museum is holding one of its most beautiful exhibitions since its
world premier opening in 2002, and according to Susan Warner, director
of public education, the museum has never been more accessible to children
and families.
Warner believes the newest exhibition, Contrasts: A Glass Primer (through November 2009), will draw kids into a description process that is an integral part of understanding and evaluating art. “Here, they will gain a vocabulary for shapes, colors, textures and the interrelation of parts,” she says. She believes this descriptive vocabulary will serve children well in evaluating all kinds of art – glass, sculpture or paintings.
Words like “natural” vs. “fabricated” or “translucent” vs. “transparent” are posted on the displays. Children will view stained glass windows and see the “sacred” in the Tiffany piece and the “secular” in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Few of the terms are technical, although children will see examples of the warm, hot and cold techniques of glass sculpture. By the time they leave the museum, they should be able to spot the difference.
The exhibition of more than 50 pieces in 19 groupings features artists who are giants in the world of glass, and it serves as a great introduction to who’s who. On view are works by Rene Lalique, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Stanislav Libensky and Sonja Blomdahl, among several others.
Warner believes Contrasts works particularly well as a captivating
introduction to the medium of glass because, as she says, “It is
like a child’s book of opposites.”
Warner points to a square glass sculpture created by Stanislav Libensky
and Jaroslava Brychtová. Written underneath the piece is the word
“rigid.” Words like “massive, angular and mysterious,”
describe the solid geometry of the glass. Right next to “Rigid”
is Dale Chihuly’s work, labeled “Fluid.” It is clear
and circuitous, looking as if it were recently plucked from the bottom
of the sea. “Graceful” and “lightheartedness”
are words used to describe his glass.
Most viewers would be hard pressed to decide which piece they like better. Fortunately, with the Contrasts exhibit, there is no need for sophisticated expertise to appreciate the uniqueness of the art. Each piece, situated next to its contrast, is easily appreciated for what it singularly has to offer – not a bad lesson for budding young artists to learn.
Other works in the museum’s intimate space will undoubtedly fascinate children as well. The Mining Glass exhibit (through Feb. 3, 2008) showcases the works of eight internationally known contemporary artists, including Maya Lin. “Mining Glass by her Web” is an immense and startlingly beautiful web made of stainless steel and lead crystal spheres. This is fragile and not well protected, and so parents will have to hold children’s hands. “My Bed” by artist Jean-Michel Othoniel is another “wow” piece. It is a bigger-than-life canopied bed that must have been inspired by a dream. Spangled in blue, purple and gold, it awakens the imagination and shows how form can sometimes upstage function. These are among several surprises not to be missed.
There is one piece at the entrance to the museum that some children and parents may find disturbing – two skeletons, locked in a kiss, are superimposed on X-rays transferred onto the glass. Don’t let this discourage you from seeing the rest of the exhibits, which contain no disturbing images.
Beyond the Exhibits
After viewing the art, be sure to visit the design studio. It is open to kids of all ages, and often an artist in residence is there to greet and work with guests. Warner says she often sees adults and children sitting together at tables in the design studio working with colors and shapes and surrounded by child-inspired art. “Sometimes I like to say this is a children’s museum for grown-ups,” she adds.
Children can submit ideas for glass designs, and once a month a design is chosen. The “designer” is then invited back to the museum to help bring his or her creation to life in the Hot Shop Amphitheater, which is open during visiting hours for visitors to wander in and watch the magic happen. One can literally feel the heat of the glass, heated in furnaces up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit as it takes form. Often the artists invite audience participation as ingredients are mixed and color is added.
The museum is dedicated to teaching and inspiring patrons of all ages, as demonstrated by the numerous outreach programs and school tours and by a new mobile hot shop that will bring the art of glass blowing to schools and communities that might not be able to get to the museum.
The museum reaches out to teens through their Arts Connect Program and has an active scout program. Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital partners with the museum, as every month patients submit and help execute their own designs. Point Defiance Zoo has also partnered with the museum, sometimes bringing animals or birds to Family Days.
Warner says she sees the Museum of Glass as a bridge to healing and connection to a larger community. She says it is one reason Family Day, the second Saturday of each month, is such a big deal. It includes music, crafts and interactive storytelling, and artists are invited to give demonstrations and answer questions.
In this museum for all ages, children need to be closely supervised and instructed in the “no touching rule.” It helps to tell them that they can touch all of the materials in the design studio after touring the exhibits. Strollers are welcome, but little ones in backpacks are not allowed.
This is one place you don’t want to hear the words “Uh - oh.”
Karen Irwin is a University Place writer and mother of four.
If You Go
Location: 1801 Dock St., downtown Tacoma
Hours: Open five days a week between Labor Day and Memorial Day, Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., third Thursday of each month, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Admission: Adults $10; seniors (62 and older), military and students (13 and older) $8; children 6-12 $4; families (two adults and up to four children under age 18) $30; children under 6 free; all visitors free the third Thursday of each month, 5 - 8 p.m.
Family Days: Special activities are planned the second Saturday of each month, 1 - 4 p.m., free with admission. November’s activity is “Picture Parfait”: piece together your own foam scene depicting everything for which you are thankful.
Parking: Park in the garage underneath the Museum of Glass for $2.50 an hour. Find free parking on Dock Street and on Pacific Avenue, across the Chihuly Bridge of Glass. You can also park free at the Tacoma Dome and take the free and frequent (every 10 minutes) light rail train. It stops in front of the museum.
Mid-week deals: The Tacoma Art Museum and the Washington State History Museums are both next door to the Museum of Glass. Some families extend the day by visiting all three. Get a discounted rate to the three museums on Wednesdays. Each offers free admission the third Thursday of every month, 5 - 8 p.m.
Sweet stop: For a sweet treat after the museums, stop at Hello Cupcake, across the street at 1740 Pacific Ave. The cupcakes are both artful and delicious!
For more information: 253-284-4750; www.museumofglass.org.
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