PGC Glass Enthusiasts Tour Glass Landmarks of Seattle
We took our first glass collector’s tour to Seattle this spring. Fourteen passionate and enthusiastic glass lovers from Pittsburgh flew to Seattle for a whirlwind tour of glass. It was truly an unforgettable experience—PGC was able to get access to some of the most celebrated glass-related venues in the city!
Our adventure took us from the prestigious Tacoma Art Museum to a private tour of the Chihuly Boathouse and on to even more exclusive tours, demonstrations and meals at individual artists’ studios such as Dante Marioni, Benjamin and Debora Moore and this year’s Art on Fire honorary artist Shelley Muzylowski Allen.
Our 3-day itinerary was packed with memorable art and experiences. SEE PHOTOS
Here’s what we did.
Thursday, May 30
- Chihuly Boathouse—Private tour with Allison Kramer and Susan Marabito, and demonstrations with the Chihuly glassblowing team including Morgan Peterson, Dan Friday, and Jim Mongrain
- Museum of Glass, Tacoma—Tour of the (truly fantastic!) Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight exhibition with curator Katie Buckingham, and a private tour of the hot shop with Hot Shop Director and Lead Gaffer Ben Cobb
- Walking tour of the Chihuly Bridge of Glass on the way to the Tacoma Art Museum
- Tacoma Art Museum (TAM)—Introduction to TAM and tour of the brand-new Rebecca and Jack Benaroya wing with Deputy Director and Chief Curator Rock Hushka
- Private twilight tour of Lino Tagliapietra’s Seattle Studio with Gallery Assistant Emilia Slimon
Friday, May 31
- Boyd Sugiki and Lisa Zerkowitz Studio—Artist talk and glassblowing demonstration. Boyd and Lisa also put out a fabulous breakfast spread for us all to enjoy!
- Benjamin and Debora Moore Studio—Artist talk and private tour of the studios and hot shop, followed by lunch with Ben at a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant.
- Dante Marioni and Janusz Pozniak Studio—Artist talk and private tour of the studios and hot shop
- John Kiley Studio—Dinner following a private studio tour and artist talk, followed by a lovely catered dinner with John at the studio.
Saturday, June 1
- Pilchuck Glass School—Private tour with Executive Director Chris Taylor
- William Morris Barn—Private tour and artist talk with Kelly O’Dell and Raven Skyriver, who worked on Morris’s team and also utilize part of his barn for their own studio space
- Shelly Muzylowski Allen and Rik Allen Studio—Artists talk and private tour of studios and hot shop
We celebrated our last evening in Seattle with a very special meal at Canlis, one of the most prized dining experiences in the city. Our dinner was served in a private dining room with expansive views looking out over Lake Union and the Cascade Mountains. It was truly a beautiful ending to a fantastic trip!
“Thank you for putting together the most amazing experience in Seattle. Every aspect of the trip was done first-class: the itinerary, the hotel, the restaurants and the comfortable van,” said Randi Dauler.
I personally am vying for a Venetian glass tour some time in the future...anyone want to join me?
We hope you’ll join us for our next adventure! Believe it or not, there is still plenty more to see and do!
If you are interested in getting information about this trip and others, contact Heather McElwee at heather@pittsburghglasscenter.org.
By Alison Oehler, Pittsburgh Glass Center Board President
