A Sense of Wonder and Joy: An Interview with Nancy Callan
It’s time for Nancy Callan’s work to be seen in an in-depth solo exhibition. While she has demonstrated her craft in front of packed crowds in more than a dozen Visiting Artist Residencies in the Museum of Glass Hot Shop and her designs have been featured in our galleries as integral parts of other shows, Nancy Callan: Forces at Play, Callan’s first museum survey, puts the artist alone in the spotlight, where she belongs.
Seeing glass through the eyes of Nancy Callan is a delight, and experiencing the material through her work is a master class in the artistic process. Her elegant, playful designs are inspired by a seemingly limitless visual vocabulary and are executed with extraordinary technical expertise. Forces at Play will invite visitors to experience the multitude of ways Callan has used hot glass as a canvas for her perspectives on the world around her.
The exhibition will unfold through a series of thematic groupings that explore the sources of inspiration which have fueled Callan’s career: Pop Art and graphics, pattern and textiles, and nature and the wonders of the universe. Each thematic grouping is represented by a curated sequence of artworks, illustrating Callan’s conceptual development and her exploration of form and pattern. These narrative themes are supported by studio vignettes, source material, and video components, capturing the essence of Callan’s inspiration and process. The exhibition will also feature new works, created and documented in the Museum’s Hot Shop through a series of recent residencies.
Forces at Play celebrates the thoughtfulness, wit, and sense of wonder that are signatures of Callan’s work and invites viewers to see the medium of glass with the same curiosity and passion that have fueled Callan’s artistic career. Nancy Callan: Forces at Play opens October 5, 2024.
Nancy Callan with Shadow Realm. Photo by Russell Johnson.
Nancy Callan (American, born 1964). Mystique Stinger, Made at the Museum in 2023. Blown glass. Photo by Russell Johnson.
Museum of Glass: Tell us about the work in Forces at Play. What do you hope audience members take away from the exhibition, and what do you see as its impact?
Nancy Callan: Forces at Play is a survey of two decades of my artistic voice as a sculptor working in glass. There is quite a range of work in the exhibition. I would like folks coming to see the show to have a fun and interesting experience, and to wander through the exhibition and feel a sense of wonder and joy. I hope that people will take their time and experience all that they see. We have created some collages — wallpaper and other materials — that point to what inspires me to make the things I do. I would like people to learn more about me as an artist, the person behind the work. Specifically, I hope folks see the range of expressions and forms that you can make with glass, and the freedom that I feel when working with the material.
MOG: The exhibition is not chronological, but instead focuses on three main areas: “Pop Culture and Graphics”; “Pattern and Texture”; and “Nature and Wonders of the Universe”. What is the inspiration behind these concepts that drive your work and how do you see the ideas represented in the pieces?
NC: In this exhibition, I didn’t want the work to be chronological because these three subjects constantly inform my work. As the viewer goes through the gallery, starting with “Pop Culture and Graphics,” they will see some of my current work alongside some of my earliest pieces. There is a harmony between the new work and the old work, but you can also see a progression in the pieces. Regarding “Patterns and Textiles,” I think these references will always be a part of what I make. I see such a strong relationship between how textiles are made and how mark-making is done is glass. For example, we make “threads” of glass and twist them into cane to create complex patterns. “Nature and Wonders” highlights current directions in my work, exploring subtle color fades, drawing with cane, and new metallic surfaces.
Nancy Callan (American, born 1964). Missoni Winkle, 2007. Blown glass; 26 x 10 x 8 in. Collection of Karen Koehler. Photo by Russell Johnson.
Nancy Callan (American, born 1964). Shadow Realm, Made at the Museum in 2023. Blown and slumped glass; 96 x 144 x 1 in. Courtesy of the artist. Photo by Russell Johnson.
MOG: Commes les Filles and Shadow Realm are two major artistic breakthroughs being featured at Museum of Glass for the first time. What do these pieces mean to you and why are they important?
NC: Commes les Filles is a large work that comes from the idea of a sketchbook — where I note ideas and inspirations — expanding and moving to the wall. My muse for this work is Rei Kawakubo, the founder of Commes des Garcons, an avant-garde clothing designer whose work and philosophy are fascinating to me. If you look at her designs, there is a huge range from delicate, soft garments with a dreamy feeling, to very strange, dark, and sculptural takes on what clothing can be. The installation draws on certain details from her work, such as unexpected holes, shredded edges, and delicate embroidery, to create a sort of sketchbook in glass. I introduced a soft pink color to reference the body, which was new for me as most of my panel installations have used strictly black and white. It is interesting how simply adding one color can bring up a host of questions and possible interpretations.
Shadow Realm was the last wall installation I finished for this show. It shows a direction that I am really excited to be going, exploring some new qualities of glass with reducing colors. Reduction (a silvery surface created by exposing the glass to a low-oxygen flame) is somewhat unpredictable, so I try to plan for a more organic result when I’m working with these colors. It has really reminded me that glass is such a primal material – it comes from the earth, from sand and fire and metals, and when we work with glass, we play in that space. I love the mysterious qualities in these new panels. The iridescence and the mirroring contrasts within the black glass has all sorts of associations for me, from sea forms to cooling lava. The work is deliberately abstract so viewers can form their own impressions.
Nancy Callan (American, born 1964). Comme les Filles, Made at the Museum in 2023. Blown and slumped glass; 96 x 384 x 2 in. Courtesy of the artist. Photo by Russell Johnson.
MOG: One of the focuses of the catalog and exhibition is your role as a pivot point between traditional Italian glassblowing techniques (primarily through your long relationship as a mentee and team member of Lino Tagliapietra), and a new, contemporary vocabulary for glass. When reflecting on Lino’s mentorship, what lessons and techniques were most influential, and which have you adapted or changed to apply to your own work?
NC: There were so many lessons learned from working with Maestro Lino Tagliapietra. Regarding technique, learning how to work with cane is probably the most important. One of the things I am most interested in is creating unique visual marks, lines, and patterns in the glass. Working with Lino was a fast train to learning so many cane techniques and ways to improvise, finesse, explore, problem-solve, and innovate with these centuries-old Venetian techniques. I am constantly exploring new ways to use cane in my work. I love creating layers and layers of color and marks to give the sculptures depth. I also love drawing with the cane in a more abstract way, to create linear patterns that are irregular and organic. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of ideas for what I want to try with cane! I am deeply grateful to Lino for the many years of learning as his assistant.
Nancy Callan (American, born 1964). Mod Candy Cloud, 2009. Blown glass; 12 x 18 x 6 in. Courtesy of the artist. Photo by Russell Johnson.
Nancy Callan in the Museum of Glass Hot Shop, 2023.
MOG: Between collaborative residencies, experiences as a member of Team Lino, and your own solo residencies, you have worked in the Museum of Glass Hot Shop more than 20 times. What makes working at Museum of Glass a unique experience compared to other studios?
NC: Museum of Glass is my home and my family. I feel like we grew up together! I am so grateful for the many opportunities to work at Museum of Glass and make ambitious work like the Stingers and the Snowmen. The shop is beautiful, and I love the way the narration and the livestream allow folks around the country to tune in to my residencies. Of course, the people are what really make it special. The whole team, led by the incredible Ben Cobb, brings an amazing amount of skill and enthusiasm to the very hard job of assisting artists in making their work. Museum of Glass has really supported my growth as an artist.
MOG: What have been your most memorable Museum of Glass Hot Shop moments?
NC: One of my most memorable moments in the Museum Hot Shop was when I created my first life-size Snowman in all black. I was presented my first residency in 2008. I had worked in the Hot Shop with Lino and a few other artists, but this was my first residency and I wanted to do something spectacular, and utilize the whole arena, the fabulous Hot Shop Team, and my talented team. This would be the biggest and most complex sculpture I had ever made. The timing and execution needed to be seamless to pull off something of this scale, but I knew that my vision could come true with this team and equipment. I still get that rush when I look back at this moment in my career! I’ve had many residencies over the years, but this one really stands out because it gave me the confidence to pursue my ideas and concepts at an ambitious scale. This first original Snowman still lives in my home and always reminds me of that epic day in the Hot Shop.
MOG: This exhibition isn’t meant to be a retrospective, but instead a mid-career survey. Where is your work going in the future?
NC: I have struggled a little bit with how to define this show. “Retrospective” feels a little premature, but I am a little past “mid-career.” I got a bit of a late start, having found glass when I was 30. So, I am maybe really just hitting my stride! Most of the work in the “Nature and Wonders” section was made for Forces At Play, so viewers can see where I am headed. I will continue to develop blown-glass sculptures in series like the Droplets and Spires. Working with the subtle color fades and layers is endlessly fascinating to me. I am also really excited about the panel works, and want to keep exploring the metallic, reducing direction there. Forces At Play gave me a pretty big canvas to play on, featuring some huge walls, so I feel like I will be ready to tackle some more ambitious architectural-scale works in the future if the opportunity comes up!
Nancy Callan (American, born 1964). Luminescence Droplet, 2021. Blown and etched glass; 17 x 14 x 14 in. Courtesy of the artist. Photo by Russell Johnson.
Nancy Callan. Photo courtesy of the artist.
About Nancy Callan
Nancy Callan’s artistic voice as a glass sculptor reflects her high-level training and talents. Callan attended the Massachusetts College of Art (BFA 1996) and lives in Seattle, WA where she is part of the vibrant Northwest glass community. Callan’s numerous awards include the Creative Glass Center of America Fellowship and residencies at the Museum of Glass (Tacoma, WA), The Toledo Museum of Art (Toledo, OH), the Pittsburgh Glass Center (Pittsburgh, PA), and The Chrysler Museum (Norfolk, VA). She began her glass career in the Pacific Northwest in 1996 as a team member for Maestro Lino Tagliapietra, rising to become his main assistant.
Callan has been exhibiting her work since 2001, at galleries including Traver Gallery (Seattle, WA), Schantz Gallery (Stockbridge, MA), Hawk Gallery (Columbus, OH), Blue Rain Gallery (Santa Fe, NM), and Holsten Galleries (Santa Fe, NM). In addition to exhibiting and creating her own work, Callan enjoys the challenges of teaching and sharing her skills with students. She has offered advanced glassblowing workshops at Pilchuck Glass School (Stanwood, WA), The Pittsburgh Glass Center (Pittsburgh, PA), Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (Deer Isle, ME), and Penland School of Craft (Penland, NC). Callan also enjoys collaboration, working with NYC lighting designer Lindsey Adelman and Los Angeles, CA artist Katherine Gray on recent special projects.
Callan’s artwork can be found in the permanent collections of the Shanghai Museum of Art (Shanghai, China), Museum of Glass (Tacoma, WA), the Corning Museum of Glass (Corning, NY), the Muskegon Museum of Art (Muskegon, MI), and the Museum of Northwest Art (La Connor, WA), as well as in numerous private collections.