20 Mind-Blowing Art Pieces By Robert Mickelsen That Turn Glass Into Pure Poetry

Mickelsen began creating glass art in 1974. His journey started with a fascination that quickly became a lifelong passion. He recently shared with Demilked, “There is something about hot glass that appeals to humans the way a bright light attracts moths. I stumbled into it and once I got a little taste, I was hooked for life.”

His creative process is equally mesmerizing. “My work is called lamp working or flame working. I melt rods and tubes of glass in a flame generated by a specialized torch. The heat softened glass is then shaped into blown and sculpted forms. Recently, I have begun to use a 3D modeling and animation program called Blender to design my work. I create and develop the idea in Blender, rendering out a realistic version of my idea. This allows me to develop the idea to a much greater degree before I melt the first piece of glass.”

Through a blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern design tools, Mickelsen’s creations, from ethereal human figures to intricate mesh forms, are made to float in air, reflecting both fragility and strength. His work is included in many prominent public collections including the Renwick Gallery of American Crafts at the Smithsonian Institution, the Corning Museum of Glass, the Toledo Museum of Art, the Tacoma Museum of Glass, the Museum of Arts and Design, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Mint Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Baker Museum of Art, and the Museum of American Glass at Wheaton Village, highlighting his lasting influence on contemporary glass art.

Here are some mind-blowing art pieces by Robert Mickelsen that turn glass into light, emotion, and pure poetry.

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