HENRY HALE

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• Started working with glass in 1968 as a TA for ‘the father of the contemporary glass movement’ Harvey Littleton.

MEET HENRY HALEM

• Started the glass program at Kent State University in 1969 and taught there for 29 years.

• One of the founders of the Glass Art Society (GAS) and served as its first president.

• Henry Halem was born in New York City on May 5, 1938.

• In the 1970s his, and every other glass artists, focus was on blowing vessels and getting the hang of glass as well as mastering casting.

• He did not find the transparency of glass appealing and blows primarily milk glass, black glass, or applies color via powders.

• His first successful piece was called Ravenna Grand Jury and was in response to the KSU shooting. The piece was purchased by Corning Museum of Glass and remains in their permanent collection.

• In the 1980’s Henry Halem moved into creating 2-D Wall pieces using both blown methods and Vitrolite sheet glass.

1980’s

• Vitrolite is an opaque sheet glass that can be cut and pieced together. It is no longer made and Halem stockpiled a huge selection of the glass to use for his work.

1990’S

• In the 1990’s Halem started applying color to glass in a new way.

• In 1996 Halem Published his book Glass Notes which is the definitive guide to glass studio techniques and is still used today.

• He started painting on the glass using both acrylics and high fire glass enamels.

PRESENT

• Most recently Henry Halem has gone back to working with Vitrolite glass and is strongly influenced by Russian Constructivism, Cubism and, Art Deco.

SERIES

Throughout the years Halem has created a few series of works including one on houses, 9/11, and boxes.