Arts&Life

art

32 | JUNE 25 • 2020 

 A New Light
 & Color
 Experience

The essence of studio
glass goes digital in
Glass 48: Habatat Direct.

SUZANNE CHESSLER 
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

F

ascination with works of art formed 
from glass has brought artists and 
collectors from around the world to 
Habatat Galleries in Royal Oak. 
For 47 years, going back to Habatat’
s 
presence in Southfield, an annual event 
has showcased new work. The Annual 
International Glass Invitational, held each 
spring, also has offered programs for attend-
ing artists and collectors.
COVID-19 was not about to stop Habatat 
owner Aaron Schey from putting on the 
largest and oldest international glass art 
show, which was founded 49 years ago by 
his father, Ferdinand Hampson. The pan-
demic would just move his efforts in a digi-
tal direction.
Some 100 artists will be showing and 
discussing their works and studios through 
video presentations enabled by Glass 48: 
Habatat Direct (glass48.com). Schey also 
arranged for an introductory documentary 
video by Harvey Littleton, the father of the 
modern glass movement. 
“When I was talking to the artists who 
were expressing their fears about the future 
of their work, it inspired me to create this 
new type of online gallery experience and 

make it as exciting as possible,
” said Schey. 
“By creating this virtual experience, we 
are able to bring the latest in the world 
of studio glass, not only to collectors and 
museum creators, but also to a whole new 
audience — an even broader audience. 
Light and color are the essence of glass art, 

and we think Glass 48: Habatat Direct offers 
light and inspiration in this moment of 
darkness.
”
Three artists of Jewish heritage, each par-
ticipating in the annual glass invitational for 
more than 20 years, readily discussed their 
new projects and the impact of the digital 

presentations. 
Irene Frolic, based in Toronto, is pre-
senting a work entitled “She Loves Us Still: 
Water.
” Frolic wanted to express that “even 
though we are nature’
s errant children, wast-
ing our bounty, [nature] loves us still and is 
laboring hard to protect us.
”
This piece is an example of how Frolic 
can explore the human condition, hopes 
and fears. It is made through kiln casting, 
which has her starting with clay, building 
a mold around the clay, emptying the clay 
and filling the mold with recycled plate glass 
before heating, melting and cooling. 
“[This work] describes our place in the 
human experience and our longing to expe-
rience and be part of existence,
” explained 
Frolic, who wasn’
t able to provide a video 
of her studio, which she describes as “the 
humblest.
” 
Frolic, who misses the essence of celebra-
tion experienced in attending the annual 
event, was born in Poland in 1941 and “con-
siders it a miracle that she is here almost 80 
years later.
” That has been at the core of her 
questioning and making.
Steve Linn, who is based in France, focus-
es on people who have brought great art and 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HABATAT GALLERIES

Laura Donefer’
s 
“Rainbow Amulet”

Laura Donefer’
s 
“Little Joy Amulet”

