From a pool of 27 nominations, Beth Hylen has been awarded the 2024 Lifetime Membership Award. A member of GAS since 1989, Beth has strutted the runway in six Glass Fashion Shows, presented at three Annual Conferences, and serves on the GAS History Project as an oral historian documenting Studio Glass Movement and GAS history. With 40 years as a reference librarian at the Rakow Research Library at the Corning Museum of Glass, Beth has been involved in more than 40,000 research inquiries and projects about glass and currently is helping survey the GAS archives at the Rakow Library, which she helped found with a request to GAS and the board for materials in 2000.
Assisted by Sally Prasch, Beth was instrumental in developing the 50th anniversary GAS timeline that was presented at the Tacoma 2022 conference. In addition to her work as a librarian and historian, Beth is a talented glassmaker in her own right, dedicating her career to flameworking and has spent much time researching the history of flameworking. Through her research, writing, interviews, and art, Beth exemplifies service to GAS and the greater glass community.
“The Glass Art Society has offered me so many wonderful opportunities to make meaningful connections over the years. I view the list of Lifetime Members with awe – I am honored and grateful that you have chosen me to join them. Thank you for recognizing my contributions to GAS with this award,” said Beth about receiving this award.
Join us in congratulating Beth!