closely with the couple to get the dis-
play and supplementary programs and
materials in place.
"The artists are important represen-
tatives of the techniques that made stu-
dio glass one of the great art movements
of the late 20th century," Fike says.
"We have divided the display into
groupings that relate to other art
movements, such as abstract expres-
sionism, happening at the time, and
visitors will learn about the three
major types of glassmaking techniques
— blowing glass, casting glass and
glue fabrication — through a video."
The Robinsons have been glass
enthusiasts for 25 years, the time
frame in which the medium moved
from being thought of as a craft to
being thought of as fine art.
"We're attracted to the transparency
of glass," says Mrs. Robinson, also a
jewelry designer who used colorful
glass beads to form strands and
baubles available in the DIA Museum
Shop to complement the exhibit.
"Ours is a very broad collection and
very contemporary."
Mrs. Robinson's enthusiasm for the
material's possibilities preceded her
husband's. While she gravitates to the
tougher pieces, he responds more to
mass and color.
The first piece in their collection, a
vase made in Italy, was a gift from her
sister. It was joined by other pieces
after a visit Aviva Robinson made to a
Dearborn gallery, where she saw a
great variety of creative approaches.
Since the 1970s, the Robinsons
have enjoyed scouting glass at gal-
leries, fairs, auctions and seminars
throughout the world.
Of the 57 artists represented in the
collection, 15 are European, one is
Asian and 41 are American.
"My husband and I don't always
agree on the works that we like," says
Mrs. Robinson, a DIA trustee whose
first job after graduating from Wayne
State University was conducting chil-
dren's workshops at the museum.
"Generally, Jack relies on me somewhat
aesthetically, but if he really doesn't like
a piece, I'm not going to buy it."
A photography hobbyist, he has
enjoyed taking pictures of the glass.
"I have photographed the pieces at
different times of the day, and this has
been very rewarding," says Mr. Robin-
son, chairman of the Policy Commit-
tee of the Southeastern Michigan
Community Partnership for Cultural
Participation, a committee of the
Community Foundation for South-
eastern Michigan.
The Robinsons carefully follow the
careers of the artists, have met many,
visited the studios of several and invit-
ed a number of them to be guests in
their home.
"I've spoken with each artist repre-
sented in the collection," says Fike,
who points out that some, such as
Sydney Cash and Richard Ritter, are
from Michigan.
"We asked each artist to tell about
the work of art, why they made it and
its significance. Some of the artists
came here, and I had the opportunity
to talk to them in person."
What they said will be communi-
cated in the catalogue that accompa-
nies the exhibit. The history of glass
art also will be explored.
Programs associated with the exhib-
it include gallery talks by the Robin-
sons and Fike, "Collectors Tell All" at
3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11; a video,
"Dale Chihuly: Glass Master," noon-3
p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17; an adult class,
"The History of Studio Glass," 10
a.m.- noon Saturdays, Nov. 7-21; and
a gallery talk, "A Passion for Glass"
with Herb Babcock, head of the glass
department at the Center for Creative
Studies, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15.
❑
'A Passion for Glass: The Aviva
and Jack A. Robinson Collection"
will be on display 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Wednesdays-Fridays and 11 a.m.-5
p.m. weekends, Oct. 11-Feb. 14,
at the DIA. (313) 833- 7900.
On The JNE Cover
From "Passion for Glass: The
Aviva and Jack A. Robinson Col-
lection," clockwise from top left:
Sydney Cash, "Ophthalmologic
Intention," 1988, plate and pat- .
tern glass, wire; Howard Ben Tre,
"Structure #5," 1983, cast glass;
Karl Schantz, "Urban Rainbow
#7," from the XJ19 series, 1984,
vitrolite glass; and Joel Philip
Myers, "Vessel Form," i 985,
blown glass; center: Aviva and Jack
Robinson at home.
An Artist In Her Own Right
A show of Aviva Robinson's paintings opens tonight at Pontiac's Uzelac Gallery.
traditional painter, doing landscapes,
hile the Robinson focus
still
lifes and figures at home, where
at the Detroit Institute
she
could
move in and out of her
of Arts is glass, there is
artistry
while
raising three daughters.
a different interest at
Robinson
kept
turning more to the
the Uzelac Gallery in Pontiac —
abstract
as
she
worked
with overlapping
"Aviva Robinson: Works on Paper."
shadings
of
color
and
went
on to
During the month of October,
experiment
with
three-dimensional
Robinson will be showing a group.of
15 new pieces she creat-
ed exclusively for this
exhibition.
"I created a body of
work in a certain way,
and that's how I usually
plan shows," says Robin-
son, whose colorful
artistry has been featured
in many one-person and
group exhibits since she
graduated from Wayne
State University as an art
teacher some 40 years
ago.
"I've gone back to the
two-dimensional surface
for the first time in
many years."
Robinson started as a Aviva Robinson: "Work on Paper."
IV
planes, cutting, folding and pasting
paper.
For a while, she made her own
paper and molded it into three-
dimensional forms before applying
the paint.
"I'm having a wonderful time
now with the two-dimensional sur-
faces because one idea leads
to another, the artist says. "I
work with watercolors
although I combine them
with acrylics and pencil. The
transparency in my watercol-
ors led to my interest in
glass. I'm just drawn to
color."
Dale Chihuly: "Chartreuse Persian
with Scarlet Lis
❑
— Suzanne Chessler
-
"Aviva Robinson: Works
on Paper" will be shown
Oct. 2-31 at the Uzelac
Gallery, 7 North Saginaw,
Pontiac. The opening
reception runs 7-10 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2. (248)
332-5257.
If a single individual has been
responsible for transforming the
scope and reputation of glass as an
artistic medium, it is Dale Chihuly.
In addition to his work exhibit-
ed in the Robinson collection at
the DIA, metro Detroiters will
have the opportunity to view Chi-
huly's installations, as well as his
latest pedestal sculpture, at a show
opening Oct. 2 at Habatat Gal-
leries, 7 N. Saginaw, in Pontiac. An
opening reception will be held 7-
10 p.m. this evening at the gallery.
Dale Chihuly will lecture at the
DIA 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct.
21. For more information, call
Habatat Galleries, (810) 333-2060.
10/2
199
Detroit Jewish News
85