Glass

lewish artists are

among the many

exhibitors of one-of-

a-kind works on

Laura Donefer: "Amulet
Basket," Flame worked glass.

view far Michigan

Glass Month.

LYNNE KONSTANTIN

Special to the Jewish News

askets are for carrying," says Canadian glass
artist Laura Donefer. "They can contain fruit or
read or pebbles or fresh-picked flowers. They
can hold wishes or dreams."
Among Donefer's earlier baskets are what she calls
"witch pots." Following Sept. 11, however, her work
began heading in a new direction.
"My witch pots were large crone baskets that held
bones and dried grasses and old memories. These
newer "amulet baskets," says the Jewish artist, "are full
of hope."
Full of color, too — luscious pinks and purples, deep

Nob

blues and greens, and reds as fiery as Donefer's own
hair are found in hundreds of glass beads tied onto a
glass basket.
"I was trying to tie the world back together, the mul-
ticolor humanity of the planet finally united as one,"
she explains.
Inside each basket is an amulet, ranging from coral
and antique coins from China to treasured keepsakes
and various other found objects that would have mean-
ing to the artist as well as the person who acquires it.
A selection of her recent amulet baskets, as well as
other works, will be on display at the 33rd Annual
International Glass Invitational at Habatat Galleries in
Royal Oak from April 16 through May 15.
"Laura has a very creative mind and a unique per-

spective. She applies these characteristics to create these
wonderfully whimsical pieces, but they also carry social
commentary. They, and she, are full of life and fun, but
also very committed to social change," says Ferdinand
Hampson, owner of the 34-year-old Habatat Galleries
and founder of the invitational as well as Michigan
Glass Month, which celebrates its quarter-century
anniversary throughout the month of April.

Origins Of Glass Month

'NW1'

Although Hampson himself has tried his hand at glass-

3/31
2005

GLASS on page 38

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