Tom Patti: illuminating the invisible

Abstract

This richly illustrated and long-awaited book is a thirty-year retrospective of the revolutionary work in glass by artist Tom Patti. Insightful essays by noted authors and critics William Warmus and Donald Kuspit explore Patti's innovative career. During the 1970s, Patti explored the sculptural potential of glass, pioneering the use of architectural and industrial glass within the new studio glass movement. His early works were nonfunctional objects that could be held in the hand and studied. Since the 1980s, Patti has continued to refine his artistic and technical skills, creating small sculptural works that are both geometric and ethereal. More recently, he has translated this exquisitely structured art into large-scale architectural installations throughout the country. In effect, Patti's work has come full circle: viewers who once gazed into his glass objects are now encapsulated in the art, looking out at the world.