Artist Statement
Working with glass I try to find balance between careful making and playful
exploration. I attempt to focus on simple clean functional ware. But often
veer into weirdness. I find object making to be a very abstract form of
story telling, the building blocks of a cultural identity. Whether it
the richness of ancient objects worn with use or the crispness of modern
design, it is how they capture a sense of time and place that speaks without
words.
Biography
Ian Kessler-Gowell grew up in Falls Church, Virginia. He attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA where he earned a B.F.A. Ian focused on working with glass and wood while exploring a variety of other materials and approaches. During college, Ian also pursued other interests, including volunteering with aquaponic research, and attending a workshop at Paolo Soleri’s Experimental City, Arcosanti, in Arizona. After graduation, Ian worked as an assistant to Rick Sherbert at his studio in Glen Echo, Maryland where he instructed group and private glass lessons. Ian is a former resident artist at the EnergyXchange in North Carolina.