Chrysler Museum Glass Studio Performs

“A wonderful lab for experimenting and playing with the material.”

When the Perry Glass Studio opened six years ago, it came with a dream attached. It was time to turn glassmaking into performance.

“One of the reasons they hired me is that I sort of pitched this concept … of performance troupes,” said Charlotte Potter, the Studio’s manager and programming director. “I was so grateful and humbled that the Chrysler really respected that potential mission and supported it.”

Years later the Chrysler’s Perry Glass Studio is a national leader in glass art as performance art, and the story is told in a Community Gallery exhibition open through June 11, Chrysler Museum Glass Studio Performs.

On one level, this exhibition honors the musical and glass artists who have taken the stage. On another, it celebrates two local artists who have played a major role in what’s become a big success. If you’ve ever seen a Third Thursday performance poster, it’s by graphic designer Levi Tarr, and he gets a wall of fame here. If you’ve ever seen a Third Thursday video, it’s by Echard Wheeler, and his 11-minute highlight reel can be clicked to play above.

“The role in documenting the performance is critical,” Potter said. “What Echard Wheeler has done here as part of the series is truly the defining moment in what makes our series different than others.”