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Cincinnati Art Museum Presents New Glass Work by Darren Goodman

4th Floor Award: Trial by Fire: New Glass Work by Darren Goodman, Sept. 24, 2011 – Jan. 1, 2012

Darren Goodman is a glass artist from Waynesville, Ohio who is a successful member of the area’s “studio glass” movement. This approach to art making dates back to 1961, when the first glass blowing and forming workshop was held in Toledo. For at least half a century prior to the 1960s, art glass was factory-made and the artist was not involved in the production process.

In a studio glass setting, the artist is in control of the creation of the piece from conception to completion. Glass blowers often work with a team of assistants to create just one piece, which imbues the studio glass movement with a communal environment. Goodman employs this hands-on approach and shares the tenets of the movement. He is concerned with the distinct properties of the material and embraces both the practice’s tradition and experimentation. Through his work he explores the textures, scale, and the implied functionality of each piece. He also emphasizes the collaborative and performance aspects of glassmaking, which is in keeping with the movement’s emphasis on process.

Goodman, drawn to the glowing colors fell in love with glass early in life. Through the practice of glass blowing he discovers metaphors for life and refines his perspective on the world. After a glass workshop at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion he noted, “What we accomplish in glass, we can take into our day-to-day lives.”

A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Goodman apprenticed under glass master Leon Applebaum in Corning, New York. He has also attended workshops with studio glass legends Dante Marioni, Lino Tagliapietra and Nancy Callan. In 2005 the young artist established his own glass studio in Waynesville, Ohio. Two years later Ferrari North America commissioned him to create trophies for the International Challenge Races. A teacher as well as an artist, Goodman has coordinated classes for students at elementary and high school levels. His work has been exhibited throughout the Midwest.

Trial by Fire features three recent works by Goodman that have been pivotal in both his personal and artistic development. Embarking on increasingly larger pieces, he has moved away from a traditional tabletop scale to floor and installation size works. This shift affects the works’ relationship with the physical body. Their complex production requires a larger team for their creation and the works have greater presence in the gallery.

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