Danielle Blade and Stephen Gartner

Gartner Blade Art Glass

"Our inspirations are rooted in nature and born of a mutual fascination with the use of found objects in the rituals of primitive cultures. With this work, we hope to convey a reverence for and understanding of the preciousness of our natural resources."

Partners since 1995, artists Danielle Blade and Stephen Gartner blend their ideas, experiences, and techniques to create original works in blown and sculpted glass. Over the past decade, they have developed a series of pieces that explores and reinterprets objects of ritual and worship. Natural elements such as bone, antler, wood, vines, fossils, and rock formations inspire their signature designs, which include covered vessels and sculptural objects. The artists' work combines traditional glassblowing techniques with innovative color application and sculpting techniques.

Their newest works are primarily sculptural. Although very much in keeping with their shared aesthetic, these pieces are a departure from the traditional blown glass vessel. The "Amulet" series is comprised of large-scale wall-mounted works while the "Arbor" series is designed to rest on a table or other flat surface. Both series are captivating and inspiring either in single pieces or groupings. The glass surfaces ask to be touched as they invite the viewer to look closer and explore the unusual plays of light they create. Through etching and polishing, the artists give their glass the ability to transmit light in some areas and retain a beautiful opacity in others. Prior to opening their studio, Blade and Gartner studied with prominent American and European glass artists. Both worked as glasshouse gaffers and glassblowing instructors.