Glass art in bloom at Phipps
PITTSBURGH — On the heals of last year's exhibit of glasswork by Dale Chihuly, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is displaying the imaginative artistry of German-born artist Hans Godo Fräbel, a founding father of modern glass sculpture. More than 185 of Fräbel's sculptures have been incorporated into the gardens and rooms at Phipps.
For "Life in the Gardens," the Conservatory has been filled with Fräbel's intricate, hand-created pieces in the forms of whimsical clowns, flower goblets, vines, reptiles, geometric shapes and the famous family of "Longfellows," alien-like forms.
Fräbel is acknowledged as the pioneer of the lampwork technique — a type of glasswork that uses a gas fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass — during a time when glass had yet to be considered an art medium.
Fräbel mastered the craft of scientific glass blowing during his youth and moved to the United States to work at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. His unparalleled talent for glass sculpting prompted Fräbel to open his own glass studio in Atlanta. It wasn't long before Fräbel's reputation and artistic influence spread throughout the world of glassmaking. Today, Fräbel is considered to be one of the best in his field and his unique sculptures can be found in public and private collections in more than 80 countries.
"Life in the Gardens" continues through Jan. 20, 2010. The exhibit includes activities for children and adults.Phipps is a Victorian glasshouse, gardens and tropical forest conservatory in Schenley Park. During the Fräbel exhibit, Phipps will be open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Fridays. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors age 62 and older and students with ID, and $7 for children 2 to 12. For more information, call 412-622-6914 or visit www.phipps.conservatory.org.
