Lynda Benglis Turns to Blown Glass

Louisiana native and long time sculptor Lynda Benglis is currently showing works in glass at the Texas Gallery 2012 Penden, Houston, TX 713-524-1593.  A heavyweight in the fine arts since the 1970's Ms  Benglis is known for her use of various media.  The New Museum in NYC has recently closed a show of her work.  On their site is a great profile about her.
She has explored the many avenues that diverged from Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism during the past 40 years.  Hers is a path that relies on process and craft.
Her new pieces at the Houston show are in blown glass.  They resemble bottles, or amphorae but with loosely dimpled "masks" pushed into the surface.  These blown glass bottles straddle the definition of art and craft.  This show in a major city is a plus for the glass arts.
We at the Nourot Studio applaud Ms Benglis for her foray into the world of glass making.  It seems everyone eventually tries the glass arts.
We wonder if she'd like to come make some new works with us?  Nourot is always looking for guest artists to come to the annual Arts Benicia open studios.  It's time we stepped up and made an inquiry. Her experience and outlook on the current fine art scene would be a refreshing input to our daily struggle keeping the home furnaces lighted.

Here is some more about her background. Benglis moved to New York in the mid-1960s and began her career as a painter influenced by Minimalism and Color Field painting. In 1968, she began creating her “Fallen Paintings” by pouring brightly colored latex in overlapping flows directly onto the floor (hey, that's what we call craft process but without the expertise.)  Her statement was directly influenced by such big time artists as Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler. Later Benglis gradually expanded her sculptural materials to include polyurethane foam, beeswax, plaster, cast aluminum, and bronze. And now glass!