Usually “handcrafted art glass” is not my thing, until I discovered the Higgins Glass Studio. Based in Riverside, Illinois, the studio was founded in 1948 by the husband and wife team of Michael and Frances Higgins. While at the Chicago Institute of Design, they re-discovered the ancient art of glass fusing. This labor intensive art had been all but abandoned once glass blowing was invented in the mid 20th century. Fusing entails the creation of a “glass sandwich.” Designs are created by layering enameled glass in a mold under extreme heat with additional layers creating subtle complexities of textures and colors. They created all sorts of items ranging from jewelry to ornaments to clocks and bookends, but the mobiles caught my eye. The soothing colors and geometric designs are reminiscent of everything I love about mid-century design, and you can now buy them at Jonathan Adler!
Oak Park Library in Chicago
Higgins Glass for Jonathan Adler
