CHRIS LOWRY

With his career in glass beginning as early as age seven, Chris Lowry has spent most of his life improving his art. Functional glass with a strong aesthetic appeal, his work has been described as “natural” and “captivating.” In his words, Chris states, “My work has a strong personality. A piece should grab your attention and then be able to keep it.”

Growing up in his father’s glass shop on the Northern Oregon Coast. Chris became serious about his art at age 18 when he moved to Oahu. Working as an assistant teacher to glassblower Hugh Jenkins at Punahou School, Chris found himself with the freedom to explore the different possibilities glass had to offer. Feeling more like a student himself, Chris credits Hugh as being his first real teacher, “Hugh taught me that fundamentals are essential in every art form and if you don’t have those fundamentals you limit your capabilities.”

With the skills learned on Oahu, Chris’ move to Maui and a job with Bill and Sally Worcester at Hot Island Glass taught him the importance of developing a sense of marketability. A desire to blend his sense of marketability with his own personal creativity took Chris to Alfred University in upstate New York. Earning a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts with emphasis on Blown Glass and Steel Sculpture. Chris’ natural talents were confirmed as he took top awards upon graduation.

Throughout his career, Chris has made it a point to learn from other experience glassblowers. Studying under master Pino Signoretto at Pilchuck Glass School and numerous teachers at Penland School of Arts and Crafts has helped open new avenues for Chris to explore.

In May of 2000 Chris and his long time friend Chris Richards bought Hot Island Glass. Chris welcomes all glass enthusiasts to visit and view his latest work. Chris’ work can be found at Hot Island Glass as well as other local galleries.

CHRISTOPHER RICHARDS

Christopher Richards is a glass artist on the island of Maui, Hawaii. His handblown pieces are characterized by their combination of graceful, classical forms with rich, vibrant colors in unexpected combinations.

Chris grew up in Issaquah, Washington, just outside Seattle. His first exposure to glassblowing was as a child, on frequent trips to Cannon Beach, Oregon, where his aunt and uncle, Sally and Bill Worcester, owned a glass studio and gallery. Growing up, Chris had always loved to tinker and build things, but never saw himself as an artist. Before eventually finding his way back to the art world in 1992, he had already become an accomplished musician, and had worked as a mechanic, a painter, a welder, and a baker. In his words, “Blowing glass is not something I set out to do, it’s something that just happened…once I tried it, I was hooked”.

Chris describes his entry into the glass world as the “learn-while-you-earn-program”. After several years honing his skills in several of Seattle’s most well-known studios, Chris moved to Maui to blow glass at Hot Island Glass, the studio his aunt and uncle started. In 2000, he bought the business with his partner, Chris Lowry.

In the last several years, demand for Chris’ work has kept him busy blowing glass for several galleries in Hawaii and on the mainland, as well as for exhibitions, private collectors, and his own gallery. He continues to innovate, introducing new designs around twice a year.

The possibilities of the glass medium keep him motivated as an artist. “What I do requires me to be completely focused on the moment. Skill, planning, and preparation are a large part of what goes into it, but you have to be open to the unexpected…at a certain point it’s just about playing, and that’s where it really gets fun.”