CONNECTIONS 2026 explores the boundless possibilities of glass as both a technical and conceptual medium, showcasing the work of artists from around the world who are redefining its creative potential. This exhibition highlights the innovative spirit of members of the Glass Art Society, whose diverse approaches challenge tradition, embrace experimentation, and expand the field in unexpected directions. The exhibition reflects the Glass Art Society’s global artist community, and includes work by artists from Australia, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Istanbul, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, and the United States.
Jurors:
Tuva Gonsholt, Artist
Erin O’Connor, Associate Professor of Sociology, Marymount Manhattan College
Helen Tegeler, Manager, Hot Glass Programs, Corning Museum of Glass
First Place | Glass Workshop Wine Glass Kit & Upgrade Sprue by Michael Tracy
Artist Statement:
Enjoy your beverages with style and refinement.
Glass Workshop proudly reissues a classic: the Wine Glass Kit, now improved with our patented crystal formulation, precision-engineered to deliver unparalleled aesthetics and enhance your drinking experience.
Includes an upgrade sprue with alternate stem and bowl options, allowing you to customize your glass for any occasion.
Assemble the most intoxicating fine art, elevating your lifestyle with pleasure, prestige, and a touch of excess.
Kits are sold unpainted. Assembly required. For optimal results, use only Glass Workshop tools, adhesives, and paints.
Minor surface irregularities may be present; additional finishing and surface
preparation required.
Second Place (tie) | Sweet by Exer Thurston
Artist Statement: My work is centered around objects, specifically queer objects. Queerness can be defined as non-dominant sexual or gender practices but is more
widely understood by queer theorists as all that which is in a frictive relationship to the dominant position. Queer objects are those that exist in a space of curiosity, tension, or discomfort. Resistance to categorization is tantamount to queerness. An object that is easily read does not cause discomfort, as it is well understood within the dominant perspective. An object which causes confusion or intrigue is oblique to the grid and can thus be understood as queer.
Second Place (tie) | [Retro]active Fantasy by Rick Eggert
Artist Statement: This work is an exploration of nostalgia as it relates to, not only objects of childhood, but also to the process of working glass itself. Simply put; this is what I would have made my Star Wars figures doing if my 10 year old self knew about working hot glass.
Gallery
