SEPTEMBER 16 • 2021 | 41
because of what it can do with light.”
Represented in the celebration show-
case will be Alex Bernstein, Daniel
Clayman, Laura Donefer, Joshua
Hershman, Sidney Hutter, Steven Linn,
Marvin Lipofsky and Toland Sand.
A HISTORY OF JEWISH ARTISTS
“The first Jewish artist whose work
we exhibited would have been Steve
Weinberg,” Hampson said. “He has
retired, but he capitalized on architecture
and making pieces with an interior and
exterior form that was architecturally very
interesting. He worked with clear glass,
sandblasting and casting it.”
Sidney Hutter, a continuing artist,
has been noted for nonfunctional vessel
forms, starting out with green glass before
moving into other colors. Laura Donefer’s
work has been described as flamboyant
and exuberant by Hampson, who recalls
fashion shows with everyone dressed in
glass designs.
When Habatat started out, work was
focused on Michigan and Midwest artists.
After deciding to host a glass exhibit in
California, Hampson was introduced to
a wider range of glass artists with new
recommendations increasing gallery
diversity.
“Detroit was wonderful to us, but I felt I
had to reach beyond that,” said Hampson,
who promoted the establishment of what
had become Michigan Glass Month to
encourage glass displays by other galler-
ies. “I wanted to do something important.
The world was out there without studio
glass, and it’s been almost like an obli-
gation to get other states and countries
involved.”
Of special sentiment is a piece that was
done by a couple working together, and it
is kept in Hampson’s own collection.
“I have a piece from Stanislav Libenský
and Jaroslava Brychtová that’s special
because my wife and I were [with them]
in Mexico for an exhibit we put on,”
Hampson recalled. “Together, we went on
a little side trip and climbed the pyramid
that became the inspiration for ‘Green Eye
of the Pyramid.’
“The idea that we were there at the time
of the inspiration and later seeing the
results [has been very special]. They did
several variations.”
Knowing that so many of his clients
were Jewish, Hampson once conducted a
continued on page 42
COURTESY OF HABATAT GALLERIES
LEFT: “Photograff” by Steven Linn. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: “Yellow Heart Amulet Basket”
by Laura Donefer; “Stockholm Series” by Marvin Lipofsky; “Cobalt in Time” by Toland Sand;
“Nestle” by Daniel Clayman.