Alfred University last week opened the long-awaited Paul Vickers Gardner Glass Center, on the second floor of Binns-Merrill Hall, celebrating the work of Gardner, a 1930 graduate of Alfred University and the Smithsonian Institution’s first Curator of Ceramics and Glass. In his early adult years, Gardner served also as assistant to glass designer Frederick Carder, co-founder of Steuben Glass Works, in Corning NY.
Alfred University last week opened the long-awaited Paul Vickers Gardner Glass Center, on the second floor of Binns-Merrill Hall, celebrating the work of Gardner, a 1930 graduate of Alfred University and the Smithsonian Institution’s first Curator of Ceramics and Glass. In his early adult years, Gardner served also as assistant to glass designer Frederick Carder, co-founder of Steuben Glass Works, in Corning NY.
The title of the inaugural exhibit: "The Science of Design: Frederick Carder and Paul Vickers Gardner," curated by Annika Blake-Howland, an Alfred University PhD student studying glass science in the Inamori School of Engineering, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Blake-Howland also serves as coordinator of the Glass Center
It was through a gift from Gardner to Alfred University that the Glass Center was made possible, noted Claire Kovacs, director of Museums and Galleries for the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University (NYSCC). In her opening remarks to dozens of people attending the opening, Kovacs noted the Glass Center collection includes Gardner’s personal archives in addition to rare books on glass art and science and a substantial collection of glass art.
The Glass Center is located adjacent to the Inamori Kyocera Museum of Fine Ceramics, testifying to the traditional close relationship between art and engineering in NYSCC. Its opening coincides with the 125th anniversary celebration of the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.
“The Center celebrates the intersection of glass art and glass science,” Kovacs said, “including exhibitions of historic and modern glass art, glass engineering objects, and interactive scientific displays.” It was established originally, she noted, under the direction of Margaret Rasmussen, who attended the opening, and former Alfred University Professor of Glass Art Steve Edwards, both of whom worked under the direction of L. David Pye ’59, then serving as statutory head of NYSCC.
Numerous people assisted in the development of the Glass Center. Kovacs noted Blake-Howland received curatorial assistance from students in Art History Assistant Professor Matthew Limb's course Museum and its Discontents, as well as from undergraduates in Associate Professor of Glass Science and Engineering Doris Möncke's Natural Glasses. Additional text for the demo tables were written by graduate students and faculty in the Inamori School of Engineering.
Additional speakers at the event included Rasmussen, who shared stories of Gardner and spoke of the University’s early efforts to open the Glass Center, and William LaCourse, professor emeritus of glass science, who spoke of former Alfred University Art Professor Steven Edwards’ work in glass.
Kovacs also noted the Glass Center and Inamori Museum will host two exhibitions of student artwork through the Fall 2025 semester. The Inamori will host work by students in Assistant Professor of Ceramics Paul Briggs’s course “Ceramic Pottery II,” with support from Teaching Assistant GH Wood. The Glass Center also features work by third- and fourth-year BFA students and MFA students working in Glass Art, juried by Professor of Glass Angus Powers and Assistant Professor of Glass Becca Arday.
“The reality,” Kovacs said, “is that there were many hands and minds involved in the work culminating in the reintroduction of this beautiful space and its important resources.”
She added the following acknowledgements:
- Scholes Library and Susan Kowalczyk for shepherding the collection and archive at various points.
- Margaret Rasmussen and volunteers Carol Onoda and Sandy Greiff, for their research and stewarding of the collection.
- Dean Gabby Gaustad for her leadership and vision in working to breathe life into the Glass Center and the Inamori Kyocera Museum of Fine Ceramics and for working with Dean Lauren Lake to re-envision Kovacs’ role in order to pull all the Museum and Gallery spaces together in the School of Engineering and the School of Art and Design.
- Bill LaCourse for overseeing the Glass Center for the past few years.
- Bill Giese, NYSCC Museums + Galleries Preparator
- Design Interns: Juliet Lyons and Jamie Shannon, undergraduate students in the School of Art and Design.
- Installation and Art Handling assistance: Hannah Eckert, Kaden Funabashi, and Bora Gurdogan, undergraduate students in the School of Art and Design, and Dan Tighe, volunteer.
- Recording assistance: Lauren Ruch, undergraduate student in Performing Arts, Kevin Bradley and Randy Wachdel, and the student studio engineers that will help us record Gardner’s memories of beginning his work with Carder.
- David Pye for a generous donation of Backbone, a work by Steve Edwards.
- Laura Grove and Eliza Sidenstecker – who move mountains every day.