| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T22: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Art and Cultural Heritage: Discoveries during the Pandemic Year
|
| Presentation Title |
Art Glass in Pittsburgh: A Creative Hub from Industrial Roots |
| Author(s) |
Heather McElwee |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Heather McElwee |
| Abstract Scope |
The Pittsburgh Glass Center is a public access glass-making facility that serves artists who run small businesses and hobbyists who enjoy trying new techniques in glass. The 2020-2022 pandemic proved challenging for persons doing hands-on activities. Artists and organizations both had to pivot, and artists saw increased online sales and the need to make more work as people at home turned to online shopping while organizations had to find ways to keep audiences engaged while overcoming digital fatigue. This talk will explore both challenges as well as Pittsburgh's rich history in industrial glass manufacturing to its creative future as a hub for glass artmaking and innovation. Glass artists are increasingly turning to 21st-century technologies like 3D printing, Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) routing, and waterjet cutting to make their work. This marriage of commercial processes with artists' creativity provides an exciting outlook for the future of this fascinating material. |