A man of the sea as much as he is a man of the arts, Chris Hawthorne lives and creates on the Southern Coast of Oregon. He has achieved international recognition for his large, colorful, loosely-handled blown glass artwork.

Initially interested in stained glass, Chris fell in love with hot glass when he studied at the Pilchuck Glass Center in the late ‘70’s and ‘80’s. Inspired by teachers, including Dan Dailey and Lino Taglapietra, Chris began to explore the spectrum of colors and optical effects possible in his medium.

A surfer and former commercial fisherman who now fishes off his coastal home in a canoe, Chris was recently commissioned to create a series of jellies. Many generations of his magical glass creatures now welcome visitors to the Hawthorne Gallery.

The Monterey Bay Area and the National Marine Sanctuary off coastal California is inspiration for the creation of these delicate sea creatures in blown glass.

In each of Chris’ works, it is the harmony of color and form that distinguishes his vessels. Chris has flattened his vertical forms, creating panes like stretched glass canvases and has also blown out large open glass bowls, blending in equal proportions the concerns of painter and sculptor.

"Working with hot glass involves control, vision and spontaneity," Chris says, "It’s like music, you can never know it all, and there is always more to learn. It combines physics, timing and an intuitive understanding of the material." With a smile he adds, "I expect to be doing this for the rest of my life."

On his latest trip to Big Sur, Chris surfed with his nephew at a remote beach. As he rested between waves, he watched a small, delicate jellyfish float by. "I was glad to see that," he said. "It’s a positive sign for the ocean and perhaps a good omen for planetary health as well."

Education

Pilchuck Glass Center

1978 Flat Glass - Patrick Reyntiens
1979 Hot Glass - Joel Meyers & Dan Dailey
1984 Hot Glass - Marvin Lipofsky & Fritz Dreisbach
1987 Advanced Glass Blowing - Lino Tagliapietra
1991 Solid off- hand glass sculpture - Loredano Rosin
1998 Advanced Flameworking - Lucio Bubbaco

Recent Exhibitions [Partial List]:

2003 Muskegon Museum of Art, One Man Show, Muskegon, MI
2002 National Liberty Museum, Glass Now 2002 - Philadelphia, PA
2000 Art Resources Gallery - Minneapolis, MN
Coos Art Museum - Light Impressions - Coos Bay, OR
Adam Whitney Gallery - Omaha, NE
Katie Gingrass Gallery - Madison, WI
1999 Oregon Coast Aquarium - Newport, OR 24 month "Jewels of the Sea" exhibition
Ellen Noel Art Museum - Odessa, TX
Robert Kidd Galleries - Birmingham, MI
Grohe Gallery - Boston, MA
1998 M.C. Gallery - Minneapolis, MN
Grohe Gallery - Boston, MA
1997 Edgewood Orchard Galleries - Fish Creek, WI - Aug
Robert Kidd Galleries - Birmingham, MI - June
1996 Philabaum Glass Gallery - Tucson, AZ - Massicio - A Tribute to Loredano
Rosin
Signature/Grohe Gallery-Glass Art Society Conference Exhibition Boston, MA
Joyce Petter Gallery - Saugatuck, MI
1995 Hawthorne Gallery - Big Sur, CA - Permanent Exhibition - 1995 - Present
Reflections Gallery - Europ'ART, Genéve, Switzerland
Joyce Petter - Saugatuck, MI
1994 M.C. Gallery - SOFA - Navy Pier, Chicago IL
Gallery by the Lake - Solo Exhibition - Coeur d' Alene, ID
Pismo - Denver, CO
Sable V - Wimberley, TX
1993 Joan Hodgell Gallery - Solo Exhibition - Sarasota, FL
Coos Art Museum - Fine Art of Vessels - Three Person Exhibition -
Coos Bay, OR
M.C. Gallery- New Art Forms - Navy Pier, Chicago IL
Philabaum Glass Studios and Gallery - Fall Glass Review - Tucson, AZ
Sable V - Wimberley, TX
Joyce Petter Gallery - Two Person Exhibition Saugatuck, MI
Katie Gingrass Gallery - Shapes of Color - Madison, WI
1992 Christy Taylor Gallery- Solo Exhibition BocaRaton,FL
M.C. Gallery- New Art Forms - Navy Pier, Chicago IL
Joyce Petter Gallery - Saugatuck, MI
1991 Vespermann Glass Gallery - Atlanta, GA
Robert Kidd Galleries - Invitational Show - Birmingham, MI
Christy Taylor Gallery - Boca Raton, FL
1990 Maveety Gallery - Salishan, OR
Joyce Petter Gallery - Saugatuck, MI
American Craft At The Armory - New York, NY
D'Erlien Fine Art - Invitational Show - Milwaukee, WI
Grohe Glass Gallery - Boston, MA
Chrisy Taylor Gallery - Boca Raton, FL
1989 Vespermann Glass Gallery - Atlanta, GA
MC Gallery - Minneapolis, MN
Robert Kidd Galleries - National Glass
Invitational Exhibition - Detroit, MI
Craftsman's Gallery - Scarsdale, NY
Highlight Gallery - Mendocino, CA

Collections [Partial List]:

Museum of FineArt - Boston
Muskegon Museum of Art
Coos Art Museum
Carolina Power and Light
Dow Chemical
UAW/Chrysler Corporation Collection
Renaissance Vineyards
Southern Company
Penta Hotels
Motorola Corporation
Trammel Crowe
NWLI - Northwest Life Insurance
St.Paul Companies
Prudential Securities
Peat Marwick
Old Kent Bank - Grand Rapids, MI
Gillette Corporation
Knauf Fiberglass