glass artist biography

JAMES MONGRAIN Artist Statement "Inspired by the Venetian tradition of goblet making, I strive for a level of precision that unites traditional elegance with contemporary flair. These elements also manifest in my newest creations, sculptural chandeliers. It’s my intention to continue to produce pieces that incorporate modern elements of form, color, and craftsmanship." Biography Born in 1968 in Minnesota, James Mongrain was introduced to glass while enrolled at Moorhead State University, under the instruction of his brother Jeff Mongrain, an internationally-renowned artist. He later studied glassblowing at Massachusetts College of Art and Appalachian Center for Crafts in Smithville, Tenn. At the onset of his career, Mongrain worked in hot shops around the country, including New York, Cincinnati, and New Orleans, where he focused his attention on becoming technically proficient in the Venetian tradition of goblet making. This aesthetic continues to interest Mongrain; he recently crafted a series of Veronese vases which takea traditional Italian form.
In 1993, Mongrain worked as a co-gaffer at Pilchuck Glass Schoore he met internationally-renowned glass artist and mentor Dale Chihuly. Two years later, Chihuly invited Mongrain to move to Seattle, Wash. to work for Chihuly, Inc. as a gaffer for the "Chihuly over Venice" installation. The project took him to glass factories in Ireland, Mexico, and France, and culminated with the installation of 14 chandeliers over the canals and piazza of Venice. In 1997, Mongrain opened Mongrain Glass Studio in Seattle, which he continues to own and operate in Mukilteo, Wash. today. In 1999, he was nominated for the Louis Comfort Tiffany Award, and began the "Jerusalem Cylinders" with Chihuly; the pieces were part of the "In the Light of Jerusalem 2000" project. Mongrain was also a lead figure among a team of glassblowers working on Chihuly’s "Fiore Di Como" in the Belliago hotel, Las Vegas, and the "Bridge of Glass" in Tacoma, Wash. Over the years, he collaborated with a number of contemporary artists including Jim Dine, Kiki Smith, Jeff Koons, Robert Wilson, and Walter Lieberman. Mongrain’s work has been exhibited nation-wide in galleries including the American Craft Museum in New York City, William Traver, Foster White Gallery and Vetri in Seattle, Jenkins Johnson Gallery in San Francisco, Louisville Museum of Art in Kentucky, Marta Hewett in Cincinnati, and the Grohe Glass Gallery in Boston. He continues to work for Chihuly and other artists on special projects, but has focused his attention on designing and crafting Venetian goblets, Veronese vases, and a variety of custom work including sculptural chandeliers. Education Work Experience Exhibitions Classes Taught, Lectures and Demonstrations Given Publications
Born, Minnesota, January 30, 1968 Education: 1991-1993 Appalachian Center for Crafts, Smithville, TN 1989-1991 Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA 1988 Moorhead State University, Moorhead, MN Awards / Nominations: 1999 Nominated for Louis Comfort Tiffany Award Work Experience 2003 Gaffer, Pilchuck Glass School Stanwood, WA Artist in Residence, Museum of Glass Tacoma, WA 2002 Consultant at Glassworks (formerly Louis Factory) West Virginia 2000 Gaffer, Chihuly at Nuutajarvi Nuutajarvi, Finland 1999 Gaffer, Pilchuck Glass School Stanwood, WA Gaffer, Chihuly at Nuutajarvi Nuutajarvi, Finland 1997-present Owns & Operates Mongrain Glass Studio Inc. Seattle, WA 1997 Gaffer, Chihuly over Venice Waterford, Ireland Gaffer, Chihuly over Venice Monterey, Mexico Gaffer, Cirva, Chihuly over Venice Marseilles, France Gaffer, Vianne, Chihuly over Venice Vianne, France Gaffer, Pilchuck Stanwood, WA Architectural Commission Cincinnati, Ohio 1996-Present Gaffer, Chihuly, Inc. Seattle, WA Gaffer/Pilchuck Stanwood, WA Intructor/Penland Penland, WA Robert Wilson Project Marseilles, France Kiki Smith Project Cincinnati, Ohio Jeff Koons Project Wheaton, NJ Charles Ray Project Cincinnati, Ohio Joel Otterson Project Cincinnati, Ohio Chandelier Commission Cincinnati, Ohio Glass Book Publication Project Kent, Ohio 1994 Pilchuck Staff / Co-Gaffer Stanwood, WA 1993 Instructor / Urban Glass Brooklyn, NY Instructor / Glassworks New Orleans, LA 1992 Gaffer / Ibex Studio Boston, MA Exhibitions 2003 "Chandeliers" Traver Gallery Seattle, WA. "Sculpture," Perimiter Gallery New York, NY "The Glass Vessel: An International Invitational" Kentucky Museum of Arts & Design Louisville, KY "Objects for Use" American Craft Museum New York City, NY 1999 Traver Gallery Seattle, WA Luminosity Art Gallery Anne Arbor, MI Jenkins Johnson Gallery San Francisco, CA Margo Jacobson Gallery Portland, OR 1998 "Floating Glasses," William Traver Gallery, Seattle, WA (in collaboration with Walter Lieberman) 1997 Foster White Gallery Seattle, WA 1996 Marta Hewitt Cincinnati, OH Vetri International Glass Seattle, WA 1995 Marta Hewett Cincinnati, OH Pilchuck Faculty Show Stanwood, WA Penland Faculty Show Penland, NC 1994 "Luminosity II," New Orleans, LA "A Gathering of Glass," Wimberly, TX Glass Lovers Weekend Wheaton, NJ A Glass for Wine New York, NY Grohe Glass Gallery Boston, MA Classes Taught, Lectures and Demonstrations Given 2003 Demo, Glass Art Society Conference Seattle, WA 2002 "Paint and Blow," Penland School of Crafts Penland, NC (with Walter Lieberman) 2000 G.A.S Conference New York, NY Denmark School of Design Copenhagen, Denmark 1999 Konstfackskolan (National College of Art and Design ) Sweden Stockholm, Sweden 1995-97 Pilchuk Glass School Stanwood, WA Glassblowing, Penland School of Crafts Penland, NC 1994 Visiting Artist, Tyler School of Art Elkine Park, PA 1993 Visiting Artist, University of Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii Visiting Artist, Edinburgh College of Art Edinburgh, Scotland 1992 New Orleans School of Glassworks New Orleans, LA 1991 Ontario College of Art Toronto, Canada Alfred State University Alfred, NY 1990 M.I.T. Boston, MA Glasgow School of Art Glasgow, Scotland Publications 2001 Objects for Use Paul J.Smith 2001 Object Lessons Guild Publishing 2001 House and Garden (August issue) 2000 Urban Glass. Richard Yelle Publisher 1999 Elle Decor November Issue American Craft, Portfolio Section Aug-Sept Issue Seattle Magazine February Issue