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.