Paul Harrie

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Growing up in North Dakota, my work is influenced by that pristine, snow covered landscape and the clear, icy light of winter. I like to make pieces that give the impression of opening up, finding a mysterious beautiful interior.

My work is concerned with classical form, combined with striking color combinations. I use a number of color techniques: colored glass canes to produce precise striping , colored powders to create layers, and solid color to create color fields. I also use the 15th century Italian technique of Murrini, to create mosaic-like vases and bowls. I pull individual rods of colored glass into square and rectangular shapes. When the rods are cool I slice them crosswise into thin sections which are used to create abstract patterns. The pattern is placed on a metal plate and heated. When it is fused together the pattern is rolled onto a gather of molten glass on the end of a blowpipe. The murrini are heated in the furnace, cased in crystal and blown into shape. In all of my work I lace a premium on the quality of my glass, using only the finest materials and the most exacting standards.

I love working with glass and making my art everyday. I am still striving to capture that clean, crystalline quality of North Dakota, working to encase a surprise in glass, exploring color and determined to produce the finest work I can.