History
Elaine Hyde is an internationally known glass artist. She began her career in 1969 at The Brooks Institute of Fine Arts in California. After graduating with a BFA in 1972 she worked and trained at the Pilchuck Glass Center under the direction of Dale Chihuly. At the time, the now-famous school was in the second year of operation. In 1974 she opened her beach side studio in Santa Barbara. One of the very few women working in the male-dominated field of blown glass, she has attained a reputation for her exquisite perfume bottles and signature silver luster glassware.
Partial list of exhibits and awards:
2018, First Place Design Award, International Perfume Bottle Association
2016, First Place Award for glass, Beverly Hills Art Show, CA
2014, Artist Award for glass, Sausalito Art Festival, CA
2014, First Place Award for glass, Beverly Hills Art Show, CA
2012, Artist Award for glass, Sausalito Art Festival, CA
2010, 2011, First Place Glass Award, Scottsdale Arts Festival. AZ
2009, First Place Fine Craft Award, La Quinta Art Festival, CA
2009, Illustrious Artist Award, Calabasas Fine Arts Festival, CA
2008, Purchase by President Bill Clinton for the glass collection of President and Mrs. Clinton
2007, First Place Glass Award, Scottsdale Arts Festival. AZ
2007, Wall Street Journal, “Collecting”, July 21, 2007
2005, First Place Glass Award, Affaire in the Gardens, Beverly Hills, CA
2004, First Place Glass Award, Conejo Valley Art Museum Artwalk, CA
2004, The New York Times, May 23, 2004
2003, Niche Award Finalist
2002, Second Prize $1,000 Glass Award, Winter Park Art Festival, FL
2001, First Place Glass Award, Sausalito Art Festival, CA
2001, Second Prize Glass Award, Portland Art Festival, OR
1999, First Place Glass Award, Affaire in the Gardens, Beverly Hills, CA
1997, “Holidays at The White House”, ornament featured in White House catalog
1997, First Place Glass Award, Sausalito Art Festival, CA
1996, Santa Barbara Natural History Museum Directors Award
1995, Southwest Art Show Juror’s Award of Excellence, NM
1993, The White House, “Year of American Craft”
1991, “Cups", Signature Gallery, Boston, MA
1991, Best of Glass Award, American Craft Exposition, Evanston, IL
1990, New York Experimental Glass Workshop, “Perfume Bottles,” NYC
1990, American Craft Council Craft Show at the Armory, NYC
1989, Philadelphia Museum Craft Show, PA
1989, Smithsonian Craft Show, Washington D. C.
1988, House Beautiful, “High-Toned Glass”
1987, Paris Ateliers D’art Show, Paris, France
1987, New Glass Review, Corning Museum of Glass
1987, Brosse/Heller Scent Bottle Competition, Heller Gallery, NY
1986, “Small Works", Susan Cummins Gallery, Mill Valley, CA
1985, New Glass Review, Corning Museum of Glass
1984, “Selections in American Craft ", San Francisco Airport, CA
1984, New Glass Review, Corning Museum of Glass
1983, Washington Home Magazine, April 7, 1983
1982, Marietta College Crafts National ‘82, GA
1981, “Selections”, Cal Poly University, CA
1980, Contemporary California Art Glass ‘80, Pasadena, CA
1977, Contemporary Glass Review, Corning Museum of Glass
1974, “American Glass Here", Santa Barbara Museum Art
1973, “West Coast New Frontiers in Glass",Los Angeles, CA
1972, “Food", A Survey Exhibition, Walnut Creek, CA
ARTIST STATEMENT
The current focus of my work is to combine blown glass vessels with precious metals and gemstones The glass base is made first then the tops are cast and fabricated to complement the piece and achieve a total sculptural design. The glass is blown, and sometimes iridized with an acid solution to create an opalescent sheen. All of the metal is sterling silver and 14, 18, and 22 karat gold. I utilize both wax casting and soldering techniques. Some vessels contain wearable elements incorporated into the design. These can be worn as jewelry. I design and make all the glass and metal elements in my pieces.
MOUTHBLOWN GLASS
Glass is an intriguing material. As a super cooled liquid it appears solid while the molecules remain in motion at an extremely slow rate. The primary ingredient in glass is silica sand, with metallic oxides added for color. This mixture is melted and maintained at a constant temperature exceeding 2000 degrees Fahrenheit in a furnace of high temperature brick . A hollow steel pipe, called a blowpipe, is dipped into the molten glass. The material is fluid, honey-like, and must be kept spinning to preserve the shape while it is formed. It is then worked with hand tools and additional glass, incorporating the colors and effects required by the designs of the artist. Hollow forms are blown, shaped, and then transferred to a solid rod called a pontil or “punty”. The lip of the vessel is heated and manipulated to the desired shape. The completed vessel is then tapped off the pontil into an annealing oven to cool overnight. A range of iridescent colors is achieved by adding silver to the original formula and spraying the hot glass with tin chloride. Paperweights are made by forming a solid glass sphere in layers of color from the core to the outside surface. The elements are then encased in clear glass. Pieces are sometimes worked with additional techniques after cooling, such as sandblasting, etching, and cutting with diamond tools.
Elaine Hyde has been a professional glass artist for over fifty years. She has won numerous awards and photographs of her pieces have appeared in several publications. Her work has been exhibited internationally in the finest galleries, shows and museums.