PAUL MARIONI

Paul Marioni is a founding member of the American Studio Glass movement and in love with the medium for its distinct ability to capture and manipulate light. Techniques have been explored and mastered but always in service of ideas about the complexities and foibles of being human. No subject seems off limits to this artist-renegade-philosopher-humorist.

“Most of my work has been figurative and about human nature: what we do, why we do it, how we ornament ourselves, our heroes, historical moments, humor, sexuality, exotic and/or lost cultures, and a constant questioning. My work is often and purposefully left open to interpretation. I don’t want to tell the viewer what to think, but rather cause them to think. Science is used to explain, I believe that art is meant to evoke and engage.”

Education 

Bachelor of Arts, English and Philosophy
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 1964-67
San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California 1963-64

Collections

WA State Arts Commission Art Collection
King County Public Art Collection, Seattle, WA
Smithsonian, National Museum of American Art, Washington DC
American Crafts Museum, New York, NY
Corning Glass Museum, Corning, NY
Yamaha Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
Oakland Art Museum, Oakland, CA
Verein Steinsches Glaskunstmuseum, Barbach, Austria
Glasmuseum Frauenau, Frauenau, Germany
Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany
The Microsoft Collection, Redmond, WA
The Safeco Corporate Art Collection, Seattle, WA

Honors 

Fellow of the American Crafts Council
Board Member APAC, Pilchuck Glass School, WA
Honorary Life Member, BC Glass Arts Association, Canada
Board of Directors, Glass Art Society, 1984-86

Awards 

1997 National Terrazzo Association, IL Recognition Award
1993 Pacific Northwest Annual, Bellevue Art Museum, WA, First Prize
1992  Kristallnacht Project, Silver Award
1989 National Endowment for the Arts, Fellowship Grant
1982 National Endowment for the Arts, Building Arts Fellowship
1976 National Endowment for the Arts, Fellowship Grant

Selected Teaching

2003  What’s The Big Idea? Our Collaboration and More… Ireland
1974-88, 1996, and 2001 Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA
1978, 1988-1990, 1994, 1996, & 2000 Penland School of Crafts, Penland
1974-1977 San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
1974- 1977 California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA
1973-1974 San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA

Selected Exhibitions

2003-2005 American Studio Glass: A Survey of the Movement, Fairfield Art Museum + 7 Museums
2003 A New Millennium, A New Light: A Survey of Architectural Glass Art, Louisville Visual Art Ass.
2003  Northwest Masters, City Space, Seattle, WA
2002 Trashformations: Recycled Materials, 12 Museums National Tour
1997-2000  Penland Instructors I Glass  ERL Originals, Winston – Salem, NC
1998  You and Me, Bush Barn Art Center, Salem, OR
1998  Marioni/Marioni, Fresno Art Museum
1998  Telling Compelling Tales, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
1997-99  Calido!: Contemporary Warm Glass, 10 Museums National Tour
1997  Explorations in Glass, Museum of NW Art, La Conner, WA
1995  Light Interpretations: Menorah Invitational, Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA
1995  V. Internationales, Glasmuseum Frauenau, Germany 1995
1994-1995  Form and Light, American Craft Museum, New York, NY
1992-1995 Clearly Art, 12 Museums National Tour
1994  The Beauty of Painted Glass, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA
1993  3rd International Symposium, Stolzle – Oberglas Barnbach, Austria
1993  Intern. Conferences on Environmental Glass, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY
1989-1993  Craft Today USA, 15 Museums, European Tour
1990-1991  200 Objects, Corning Museum of Glass, Russia Tour
1986-1988  Craft Today: Poetry of the Physical, American Craft Museum, New York, NY
1982  100 Years – California Crafts, Oakland Art Museum, Oakland, California
1978-1982 New Glass: A Worldwide Survey, Corning Museum of Glass, World Tour
1979   Das Bild In Glass, Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany
1978-1980 Americans in Glass, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, National Tour
1978 Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York, NY
1975-1978 & 1980 Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC

Selected Architectural Commissions

2004   Reflection Fountain, US Courthouse, USGA, Seattle, WA
2003  Our Place in Space, King Co. Intern. Airport, Cultural Development Authority of King   Co., Seattle, WA
2003 Liquid Light, US Courthouse, USGA, Seattle, WA
2000 Hetch Hetchy, 150 California Street Financial Building, San Francisco, CA
1999 Sonora, George and Jane Russell, Tucson, AZ
1999 River of Glass, WA State Liquor Board, WA state “% for Art” program, Seattle, WA
1999 Nest, King County Courthouse, King County Arts Commission, Seattle, WA
1999 Water=Energy, Seattle City Light Southcenter, Seattle “% for Art”, Seattle, WA
1999  Energy=Light, Seattle City Light Southcenter, Apprentice Training, Seattle “% for Art”, Seattle, WA
1998 The Journey, Ron and Carol Margolis, Seattle, WA
1997 Grasses, Doug and Dale Anderson, Palm Beach, FL
1997 Reflection Wall, Swedish Medical Center Interfaith Chapel, Seattle, WA
1997 Pillars, Burbank Police/Fire Facility, Burbank “% for Art” program, Burbank, CA
1994 Shelter, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, WA State
1993 The Further I Look, the More I See, Eye Clinic, University Medical Center, Seattle, WA
1993 Light Columns, Pier 69 Headquarters, Port of Authority, Seattle, WA
1993 Reflections Chapel, Salvation Army’s NW Headquarters, Seattle, WA
1993 Check It Out!Bellevue Regional Library, Bellevue, WA
1991 Elements, Easthill Fire Station Headquarters, Kent “% for Art” program, Kent, WA
1990 Jungle Garden, Stoel Rives Boley Jones and Grey, Seattle, WA
1989  Seven Figures & Portal, Greenlake Community Center “% for Art” program, Seattle, WA
1994 Khadi, Police Precinct North, Seattle “% for Art” program, Seattle, WA
1994 The Human Spirit, Timberline Lodge (Federal), Mt. Hood, OR
1977 Stanford, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA