Glass Artist Laura Donefer Named Fourth GAPP Artist
Laura Donefer, who has been using glass as a primary medium in her work for more than 27 years, is the fourth artist invited to participate in the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA)’s prestigious Guest Artist Pavilion Project (GAPP). The American-born Donefer, who now lives in Harrowsmith, Ontario will be an artist in residence from May 14-22, 2010 and will return in the fall to continue her work.
The GAPP program invites one glass or contemporary artist per year to visit the Museum and spend time creating new work inspired by the TMA collection. In return, the Museum has asked the selected artists to give a lecture and a glass-working demonstration relating to their work, both of which have been well-received by the public during past GAPP residencies.
“The GAPP program is made possible by a generous donor to the Museum who believes strongly in public education and allowing these established artists the freedom and resources to explore their work in new ways without any pressure or restrictions,” said Jutta-Annette Page, curator of glass and decorative arts and GAPP program co-administrator.
Known as an artist with a brilliant command of color and attention to detail, Donefer has a mastery of blowing, casting, and torch-working glass. Much of her more recent work is a study of ancient baskets with vivid colors and “handles” adorned with flame-worked beads, as well as shells and fibers. She plans to continue that work in Toledo, while also exploring a new installation of wild, contemporary baskets.
Donefer’s vibrant personality is as colorful as her work. She is well known in the glass community for her glass “fashion shows”— events highlighting eclectic, beautiful and outrageous outfits made of glass (and some fabric) that were the talk of the Glass Art Society’s international conferences in 2004 and 2009.
In addition to glass, she often incorporates mixed media and—literally—found objects into her work. A confessed lifelong hoarder, her studio is crammed with what she calls “human sheddings, urban remnants, and natural bric-a-brac.”
“Each element of my constantly changing collection reminds me of where I found it and why I love it,” Donefer said. “Textures, patterns, cracks, lines so visually stimulating that I frequently stop what I am working on to stare in wonderment.”
Donefer has exhibited her work worldwide since 1985. Her glass and mixed media compositions grace many public and private collections, including the Corning Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Museum of Glass, and the Museum of Art and Design in Manhattan. A relentless promoter of Canadian glass artists, she teaches at a variety of learning institutions in Canada, and conducts workshops in schools throughout the world.
For more information and photos of the artist and her work, visit lauradonefer.com. Information on the GAPP programming and the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion is available at toledomuseum.org.
Press Release Contact Name: Kelly Fritz Garrow
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Organization Name: Toledo Museum of Art