The Poet of Gorgeous Glass
Photo courtesy of Goldhagen Studio
David Goldhagen is a renowned glassblower who has been creating magical pieces of glass art for more than 40 years. You will find his glass studio in an old hay barn in the picturesque mountain town of Hayesville, in North Carolina. I had the happy occasion to visit there and watch him blow some gorgeous glass. His creativity is amazing!
David’s story begins at Tulane University, where he was an English major. At the time, the school was setting up a new program in glassblowing, and David signed up for a class to round out his schedule. He never looked back, graduating as an English major, as well as with what he terms “an unofficial minor in glassblowing.”
He was so captivated by glass that he immediately signed up for more advanced classes at Pilchuck Glass School, in Washington, as well as at Penland School of Crafts, in North Carolina. His determination to make his career in glass grew, and he commandeered the barn at his parents’ summer home, building himself a glass studio there.
As a glass artist, David favors sculptural pieces. Many of them are enormous, and all convey a compelling sense of proportion and gracefulness in their form. David has mastered combining layers of color and clear glass in such a way that small strands of color appear to burst and layer much like a contemporary painting. The resulting sculptures are organic, sensual, fluid, energetic, and captivating!
He is also known for his wonderful, functional work. Some items, like his glass tables, are large, while others — such as his candlesticks, perfume bottles, menorahs, and ornaments — are smaller pieces that make a large impact visually. Like his larger, sculptural pieces, these combine David’s unique blend of form and color to create unusual and distinctive decorative items. You can see his work at goldhagenartglass.com.
David initially took his work to art fairs. He still travels to a select few where he is well known to avid glass collectors. Within a short time, art and fine craft galleries took notice of his work, and David showcased his work at national wholesale shows. Today, his work is in galleries across the country. It is also in many prestigious museums, foundations, and corporate collections, such as Coca-Cola, Merrill Lynch, Walt Disney, the Tucson Museum of Art, Albany Museum of Art, and Asheville Art Museum.
When I asked David what he loves most about glassblowing, he was quick to answer, “The challenge glass presents to me.” All the years of glassblowing have taught him the limits of the medium. He says glass “has a mind and energy of its own.” But for David, the fun is pushing those limits — suspending, gathering, spinning, and swirling the hot, molten glass. “If you push too far, too hard, or the wrong way, the glass will rebel, and then you are in a repair situation,” he said. “But every once in a while, you can go to the very edge of those limits, and that is where you are rewarded with the extraordinary results.”
David also sees new challenges. He loves to accept commissions that challenge him to make new designs and pieces for a specific environment, and he welcomes more of those one-of-a-kind challenges. He sees new horizons in the field of lighting, knowing his glass pieces would make fabulous chandeliers. Glass is certainly a medium made irresistible when the right light bulbs are added! The English major in David shows when he says that he “loves the poetry of glasswork and wants to keep pushing it for new discoveries.” I hope to be around when he does!
Photo courtesy of Goldhagen Studio
Photo courtesy of Goldhagen Studio
About the Author
Diane Sulg
Diane Sulg is Executive Director of CRAFT and founder & co-chair of American Craft Week (ACW). She is a handmade advocate that provides valuable information in her one-day seminars titled “All About Wholesale” at wholesale shows throughout the United States. Diane is the former owner of Maddi’s Gallery in Charlotte and Huntersville, N.C.