An Exhibition by Howard Lizotte
My work begins with a fascination for glass—its transparency, its strength and fragility, and its extraordinary relationship with light. Glass is never entirely static. It changes with its surroundings, revealing different colors, textures, reflections and depths depending upon where it is placed and how it is viewed.
Working primarily with kiln-formed glass, I am drawn to the process of transforming individual pieces of material through heat. The kiln becomes part of the creative process. Color, form, texture and temperature interact in ways that can be carefully planned, but never completely controlled. That balance between intention and discovery is an important part of what keeps the work exciting for me.
Much of my inspiration comes from observing the world around me: the changing quality of natural light, the movement and colors of the landscape, architectural forms, and the unexpected patterns and compositions we encounter in everyday life. I am interested in taking those impressions and translating them into something more abstract and tactile.
My approach is also influenced by a background in design. I think about proportion, balance, structure and how an object occupies a space. At the same time, I want the finished work to retain a sense of spontaneity. Glass has its own character, and some of the most interesting results occur when I allow the material to participate in determining the final form.
Ultimately, I want my work to invite people to look more closely. A piece of glass can appear one way from across a room and become something entirely different when viewed up close or when the light changes. That sense of discovery, the possibility of seeing something familiar in a new way, is at the heart of my work.
Howard’s collection represents a series of 12” x 12” free standing studio glass sculptures.
Enjoy.
