The Mutant

This glass sculpture is about 14.25" high. It is signed and dated on the bottom which is partially ground flat. I think the date is (19)97 or (19)99. I have never been able to sort out the signature. I have had this maybe 10 or 12 years, possibly a bit longer. I found it at a thrift shop which specialized in purchasing and liquidating entire estates. Later, they got fancy and opened an auction house where the "good stuff" was sent. At the time I found this piece, it was just a great place to find really cool stuff, cheap. I think this piece was part of the estate of a well known local collector whose heirs must not have wanted to deal with his mess and did not realize the value of his collection. I am not saying that this piece is special, valuable or by an extremely accomplished artist, but I did pick up a few pieces at that thrift shop about that time which were.

Anyway, there was this piece and another, similar though better designed, piece right next to it that reminded me of a woman wearing a shoulderless dress, minus the woman. It was a really nice piece of art and a few dollars more than this piece which was around $10, maybe less, and I should have bought it, too. After spending a bit of time researching this piece, I decided to go back and buy the other piece, which was probably by the same artist, but it was gone. Later, I spotted it at a fancy charity auction where it sold for a stupid amount of money. Charity auctions aren't really a good measure of value or quality, IMHO, since they are often just a way to get people to donate money that they can write off of their taxes. I think it was definitely a better piece than this one, which I call "The Mutant". It reminds me of a fish out of water, gasping for breath, or some mutant thing struggling to be born out of the base.

I have never really liked this piece much, but I am its caretaker, for now, until it is time to find it a new home, probably when I finally downsize. I am pretty sure it is American, possibly by a student from the very fine art glass program at the local university. It was very difficult to photograph, with all of its twists an turns, so I took a few closeups of some areas. I think of it as end of day glass made by a very stoned glass artist, maybe on acid.