Mention glass art at a dinner party in Washington DC and you’ll probably get as many ideas on the best artist as there are guests at the party. While glass art is usually discussed as being large, modern works of art, usually one-off creations, art glass and studio glass are generally smaller and made in editions with multiple, identical pieces. However, the line between the two is sometimes blurred.

While no accurate figures exist on the number of glass artists in the Washington DC metro area, most glass art connoisseurs will tell you that there are thousands of artists working in the medium. In the world of art, it’s difficult to determine a “best of” artist or gallery. With everyone enjoying different presentations for different reasons, most people can only list their favorites. Five of the most-discussed artists and galleries though (in no particular order) demonstrate some great creations.

Classic Glass
2350 Duke St, Suite D
Alexandria, VA 22314
(240) 582-3001
www.classicglassinc.com

A specialty of Classic Glass in Alexandria, Virginia is its carved glass. Using traditional multi-stage carving techniques, artists realistically sculpted flowers and figures for your viewing enjoyment. Covering the thick glass with a protective mask, the glass is then cut and carved by hand. In addition to decorative flowers and figurines, the shop’s carved-glass signs are used for corporate logos and government seals.

Transformations
By Elizabeth Guerry Mead
6931 Western Ave NW
Washington, DC 20015
(202) 276-0695
www.transformglass.com

Elizabeth Guerry “Betsy” Mead is a native Washingtonian and glass artist in Washington DC. After getting her degree in art education from USC, she pursued a professional career in the federal government and worked on her art in her spare time. Betsy enjoys the juxtaposition of opposites in her work. She pairs cold steel and glass with ballet shoes in one piece and celebrates dancing with the grim reaper in another. Her work continues to evolve and as she and her art transform, the end result is yet to be seen.

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DC GlassWorks
5346 46^th Ave
Hyattsville, MD 20781
(301) 927-8271
www.dcglassworks.com

The artisans at DC GlassWorks seek to inspire imagination and creativity through glassblowing. Their vision is to build a world-class facility that will help provide creative opportunities for people throughout the Washington DC metro region. DC GlassWorks is dedicated to helping regional artists have a place to discover and realize their dreams. Sign up for a class or invite the experts to your next corporate event for demonstrations and instruction.

Glass Art
107 S West St #573
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 299-0103
www.glassart.net

Ethel and Arthur Furman, art dealers and art consultants for over 45 years, are the owners of Glass Art. They have represented governments and corporations as well as private individuals. For each chandelier, sconce or garden sculpture made, the customer chooses the size and the colors resulting in a very unique work of art. Often combining bronze sculptures with the glass art, the figures are made to last for generations to come. Glass Art represents over 40 museum-grade artists.

Frederick Art Glass
2 Woman’s Mill Court #4
Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 668-3824
www.frederickartglass.com

Although about an hour from downtown DC, this is a must see for beautiful glass-art creations. Frederick Art Glass specializes in etched-glass art and mirrors. Its team of artists has over 30 years of experience in etching and carving glass. The state-of-the-art facility in Frederick is equipped with computer-aided design equipment, and the shop’s claim to fame is the hand-drawn, cut-and-carved unique pieces of work. Regardless if the customer is a government agency or a private individual, Frederick Art Glass aims for artistic precision in every job.

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Jerry Nelson is a freelance writer covering all things DC. His work can be found on Examiner.com.