I began my art education as a ceramic major at San Francisco State university in 1976. I became involved in the
Raku firing process of taking ceramic objects out of a hot kiln. The spontaneity of this process led me to work with
hot glass. For me hot glass became the most compelling material to attempt to work with.
    After graduating from San Francisco State I continued to work with glass as part of my graduate program at the
University of Hawaii. I was exposed to many images from the Polynesian culture through Pacific Art history classes
at the university. I started to use boat images in welded metal sculpture that I was making at that time. My work
in glass was mainly devoted to exploring blown vessels and color during this period. I graduated in 1983 from the
University of Hawaii with a Masters of Fine Arts degree. In 1984 I went to work at the Tokyo Glass Art Institute as
a visiting artist. At this time I was still involved in making blown glass vessels with elaborate colored designs.
In Japan I was exposed to the Pate de Verre process of making glass objects by fusing crushed glass into plaster molds
with an electric kiln. After nine months I returned to the United States.
     In 1985 I received a five month fellowship at the Creative Glass Center of America in Millville New Jersey. I had
been blowing glass for seven years when during the fellowship at the C.G.C.A. I decided to concentrate on casting
solid sculptural pieces. Artists like Bertil Vallien, Howard Ben Tre and Hank Murta Adams were inspirational to me
in my pursuit of casting glass sculpture. During my fellowship I was able to make a range of totem and boat images
using the sand casting technique.
After returning to California in 1986 I realized that the only economically feasible way for me pursue my work
as a studio artist was to develop a simple technique for fusing glass into investment molds with an electric kiln.
    I began using clay to sculpt my images. I found a bronze casting investment that would work with glass as a mold
material. After building my first electric kiln in a rented garage in Davis I started to work with fusing crushed
glass. Sixteen years latter I am still exploring the potential of this basic technique. I have come to realize that
by using clay as a primary medium I can create unique images in glass using this process. Working with clay allows me
to develop textures and forms that would be difficult to produce in glass using any other method.
I want to create sculpture that portrays a life force or spiritual energy. I have used images of figures, boats,
and totems to try to express these ideas. I continue to be inspired by the art of many cultures around the world that
express the power of the spirit.

Mark Abildgaard                                                                                                                  

Born March 2, 1957 in San Francisco, California

 

Education:

 

1983          M.F.A., University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii

1979          B.A., San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California                  

 

Selected Exhibitions:

 

2007          Tribal Visions, Kuivato Gallery, Sedona, AZ

2006          Aquarium Invitational, Vespermann gallery, Atlanta, GA

                  Made in California – Oakland Museum Café, Oakland,CA

2005          Offerings - Solo Exhibition, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis CA

                  Out of the Mold, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Newport News, VA

                  Figure it Out, Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA          

2004          GLASS - Conley Art Gallery, California State University, Fresno

2003          Casting Spirits - Kuivato Gallery, Sedona, AZ                                                                              
                  20/20 Vision - CGCA Fellows Exhibition, Museum of American Glass, Millville, NJ

                  Figurative Work in Clay and Glass, Gallery Alexander, La Jolla, CA

2002          Glass Sculpture - Solo Exhibition, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA

                  A Figurative Show - Virginia Brier Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2001          Transmutations - Clay into Glass, Bullseye Connection Gallery, Portland,OR

                  The Figure, Carolyn Blake Gallery, Charleston, SC             
 2000          Glass Sculpture, Portia Gallery, Chicago, IL                             

1999          Glass Sculpture by Mark Abildgaard, The Rachael Collection, Aspen, CO

                  Figurative Glass Sculpture, The Miller Gallery, New York, NY

1998          Sculptural Perspectives for the New Millennium, The Leff Foundation,

                  St. Helena, CA

1997          Calido! Contemporary Warm Glass, Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ

                  Glass, Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Owensboro, KY

1996          Crocker - Kingsley Exhibition, The Crocker Museum, Sacramento, CA

1995          Light Interpretations: A Hanukah Menorah Invitational, The Jewish Museum,

                  San Francisco, CA

1994          GLASS, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA

1993          Glass Invitational, Dorothy Weiss Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1991          West Coast Glass: A Survey of Contemporary Glass Artists, California Crafts Museum, San Francisco, CA

1990          American Glassmaking, The Corning Museum on Glass, Corning, NY

1989          A Seven Year Legacy - Fellows of the C.G.C.A., Grohe Glass Gallery,

                  Boston, MA

1988          Taking Shape, Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Loretto, PA

1986          Poetry of the Physical, Inaugural Exhibition, American Craft Museum, New York, NY

 

Collections:

 

                   The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York

                   The Fresno Museum of Art, Fresno, California

                   The Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond, Virginia

                   The Wheaton Museum of American Glass, Millville, New Jersey

                   The Contemporary Museum of Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawaii

                   Saks Fifth Avenue, Corporate Collection, Phoenix, Arizona

                   Pacific Enterprises, Corporate Collection, Los Angeles, CA

                   Hawaii State Foundation of Culture and the Arts, Honolulu, Hawaii

                   The Persis Collection of Contemporary Art, Honolulu, Hawaii

                   The Saxe Collection, Private Collection, San Francisco, CA

 

 

Work Related Experience:

 

2007                Instructor, Kiln Casting Course – Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning New York

2006                Instructor, Kiln Casting: Basics and Beyond, Pilchuck School, Stanwood, WA

2004 - 06         Instructor, Kiln Casting Course, Red Deer College, Alberta, Canada

2003 - 06         Instructor, Kiln Casting Workshop, Masaoka Design Studio, Carmel Valley, CA

2002                Visiting Artist, Emporia State University, Emporia Kansas

2001                 Instructor, Kiln Casting Class, The Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass

             Guest Artist, Master Casters Seminar, Bullseye Glass, Portland, Oregon

2000                 Artist in Residence, Bullseye Glass Company, Portland, Oregon                  

                         Guest Instructor, Public Glass, San Francisco, California

1999                 Instructor, The Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York

                         Guest Lecturer, Ohlone College, Fremont, California

                         Instructor, Kiln Casting Workshop, San Jose State, San Jose, California 

1995                Guest Lecturer, Glasmuseum, Ebeltoft, Denmark

1994                Guest Lecturer, Smithsonian Associates Studio Arts Program, Washington DC

1986                Started North Star Glass Company, Davis , California

                         Lecturer, Sculpture Course, Hamilton College, Clinton, New York

1985                Fellowship Recipient, Creative Glass Center of America, Millville, New Jersey

                        Visiting Artist, Sculpture Space, Utica, New York

1984                Resident Artist, Tokyo Glass Art Institute, Tokyo, Japan