Hello and welcome to the very first (true) museletter! This is the space for updates on St’Valent’s new studio and where we will first announce any and all classes, events, and projects we have coming up.
While we’re still building up the studio space (and mostly studio furniture 😅) we wanted to give you a quick rundown on the history of glass art in New York City and why it’s so important to us to have a place like this in Manhattan!
♥︎ Glass Art’s Long History in NYC
You might have heard of Tiffany Glass before, or you might only know the name through their intricate glass lamps from the early 1900s. Founded as a factory in Queens by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Tiffany Studios produced art nouveau works by arranging chunks of colored glass into shapes and scenes. Before this, NYC had already established itself as a hub for handmade glass—Queens was home to a several glass bottle factories that supplied bottles for breweries and other businesses. When Tiffany founded his studio, they primarily did commissions for local churches, creating stained glass and enamel panels of religious iconography. Then, Tiffany shifted toward interior design.
St’Valent’s glass poster “Wisteria Daydreams” and the Tiffany lamp that inspired it, “Wisteria Lamp”
The iconic Tiffany style took off rapidly, influencing the techniques of the glass scene locally and around the world. Designers in Tiffany’s studio—like Clara Driscoll and Agnes Northrop—began producing the now famous Wisteria and Dragonfly lamps that became a beloved part of many people’s homes. Even though the workshop closed in 1932, you can see many examples of Tiffany lamps and other glasswork on display in museums and libraries across the world. (The New York Historical has a wonderful exhibit on Tiffany Glass lamps—we made a video about it last year!)
St’Valent’s “Autumn Leaves” lamp and the Tiffany piece that inspired it, “Autumn Leaves”
♥︎ Our Studio Space
We are so excited to continue NYC’s legacy with glass art, and we’ve taken a lot of inspiration from Tiffany—as well as other artists around the world! St’Valent Studio will be a community space that offers events where you can explore expert international art techniques, accessible way for beginners and veterans alike. Like Tiffany, we want to take the beauty of glass art and turn it into a medium everyone can learn to do and display in their homes.
Our glass studio will be the home of two glass artists: Angel, who focuses on glass painting, and Echo, who works with fused glass. Together, Angel and Echo have been working a diverse curriculum with workshops that focus on several different techniques of glass art (from Tiffany-esque designs to East Asian inspired dishware), culminating in projects both big and small.
the before and after of the studio (so far)
Make sure to keep an eye on this museletter for updates on future art club events, workshops, and… maybe even a book club? Right now, we’re in the middle of sourcing unique antique furniture across NYC, so if you have any good places in mind—let us know!
