Commissions
The Gifford Cup
Nantucket Wine Festival
The “Gifford Cup” was commissioned by Denis Toner, the founder and president of the Nantucket Wine Festival. This special award trophy commemorates and honors the annual Luminary of the Year of the Nantucket Wine Festival. Past Luminaries include Tim Mondavi, Jorge Ordonez and Ming Tsai. Each year I made a standard size replica of the “Gifford Cup” to present to the honoree.
The "Gifford Cup" is blown glass and measures 23” tall. The bowl is a traditional wine shape and the stem is done using the Reticello technique, with a gold leaf scallop shell on the front and back. It sits on a cherry wood base, with a silver plaque engraved with the name of each Luminary of the Year.
Bluefin Tuna Trophy
"The Nantucket Bluefin Bash" is held in early September each year. Jonas Baker, the owner of Slip 14 Restaurant on Old South Wharf commissioned the trophy and is the chair and founder of the event.
I made this hot sculpted fish with the assistance and advice from an avid fisherman/glassblower. The trophy is sculpted and assembled hot. It is on display at Slip 14 each year during the tournament.
The Four Seasons
Heath Elementary School
In 1995 I conceived a community art project to promote involvement in the new elementary school being built in our small town of Heath, Massachusetts. The Heath Elementary School opened in the fall of 1996 with “The Four Seasons of Heath” gracing the large open meeting space in the center of the school.
The piece is a 6’ x 17’ wall composed of 168 sand-cast glass blocks, which we created at Heath Brook Studio. Each group of images of the four seasons is composed of 20 blocks, with a border of glass blocks of handprints of the kids who participated. We held workshops where kids from ages 6 to 16 made drawings of symbols of what the four seasons meant to them growing up in Heath. From these drawings adults created stencils, which were used to sift powdered colored glass into block forms we had created in the sand. All the kids also came to the studio and pressed their hands in the sand to create the handprint blocks. The blocks are mounted in a metal frame and trimmed with local cherry wood.
Creating “The Four Seasons” was fulfilling on many levels. This community art project brought people of all ages together in celebration of both the education of the children in town, and of the greater community. The kids who participated were able to experience their art project happen from conception to execution to installation. Some of the older kids, who were 16 at the time and helped in the casting process, have gone on to pursue careers in art and glass. Over the years I have watched as kids at the school go up and put their hand on one of the handprint blocks. Experiencing this glass wall, a beautiful connection is made by all the children who have been educated at the Heath Elementary School.
Sonam's Stupa
This glass stupa was commissioned by Sonam Lama to hold the tooth of Trjang Rimpoche, a teacher of the Dalai Lama. The tooth is a sacred object because so many prayers have passed by it. The stupa was subsequently blessed by the Dalai Lama. The stupa now sits on Sonam’s prayer table. Sonam is a master stonemason in Western Massachusetts.
The success of a Tibetan work of art is based on adherence to the principles and proportions of a set aesthetic. Individual expression is secondary. I was thankful for this commission, which by all accounts from the Tibetan community was a great success. I enjoyed the challenge of creating an important object from another culture and perspective.
The top of the stupa is blown and hot sculpted glass. The base is sand-cast glass.
Great Harbor Yacht Club Trophy
In 2010 the Greath Harbor Yacht Club of Nantucket Massachusetts commissioned two glass trophies to honor members who have made significant contributions to the Club community.
The Adult Commodore’s Cup is white reticello with gold leaf handles and cerulean blue rim and foot.
The Junior Commodore’s Cup is in my colorful Tutti Frutti style.
Each year the recipients receive a smaller replica of the trophy.
