Artist Jean-Pierre Canlis to Return to Museum of Glass

Artist Jean-Pierre Canlis to Return to Museum of Glass for his Third Visiting Artist Residency January 15-19 

Tacoma, Wash. — He has worked with Martin Blank, Dale Chihuly and Lino Tagliapietra, and from Wednesday, January 15 to Sunday, January 19, Jean-Pierre Canlis will bring his skills to Museum of Glass as Visiting Artist. This will be Canlis’ third residency at the Museum, which will conclude with a lecture in the Hot Shop on Sunday, January 19 at 2 pm. The lecture will also be streamed live on the Museum’s website.

Canlis first picked up a glassblowing pipe in 1991 during an Introduction to Glassblowing class as a high school junior in Honolulu, Hawaii, which sparked a passion for glass art that he continues to explore to this day. After further developing his interests and skills at Alfred University’s School of Art and Design in New York and spending summers at the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington, Canlis met Martin Blank, who introduced him to Dale Chihuly in 1993.

Canlis served as a member of Chihuly’s glassblowing team from 1993 to 2001, as well as a member of Lino Tagliapietra’s team from 1998 to 2001.

In 2005 he moved to Seattle to set up Canlis Glass Gallery & Studio, which focuses on telling the story of each piece of art, including the length of time it took to be created and the tools that were used in the process – a concept Canlis refers to as “slow art.”

“Jean-Pierre Canlis’ approach to glass art reveals how truly dedicated he is to the techniques, skills and patience required by such a delicate, but often laborious, art form. His previous work at the Museum as both a Visiting and Guest Artist left us eager to see what he would create during his next residency,” notes Susan Warner, executive director of Museum of Glass.

Canlis is best known for his nature inspired large-scale glass art installations in commercial and residential spaces. His work has been featured in numerous publications, including Northwest Home, Northwest Luxury Living, Seattle Homes and Lifestyles and American Craft.

Simplicity and completion are the most important elements of my work. Anyone can make something simple seem complex; it is taking the complex and translating it into the simplest form that inspires me. I want the viewer to walk away settled, feeling the art has a sense of completion.

- Jean-Pierre Canlis