The mission of the Michigan Glass Month Project is: to promote awareness of art glass and to educate the public regarding the great variety of glass expression in Michigan. MGM's focus is on Michigan glass artists. 2008 is our 27th year and we continue to succeed.

This brochure will guide you through the many wonderful exhibits and events of Michigan Glass Month. These events celebrate the accomplishments of local, national and international artists.

This year's Michigan Glass Month is dedicated to glass masters Gil Johnson and Karnig Dabanian.

Forty years ago, the glass studio at the Society of Arts and Crafts, now called The College for Creative Studies, began under the guidance of Gil Johnson. Among studio glass facilities, it is the longest, continually running in Michigan. Gil attended glassblowing workshops in 1966 and 1967 with glass master Dominique Labino. With support from Walter B. Ford (Chairman of the Board of Directors) and Walter Midner (President of the college) Gil set up a small glass studio in the summer kitchen of one of the old homes on Kirby. At this location, Gil developed and taught "silver-veiling" as part of the glass class. The studio soon moved to its current location in the Yamasaki building. Gil introduced many future, metro-Detroit, glass artists to the medium. These include Karnig Dabanian, Charles Wright, Sylvia Vigiletti, John VanAmerogen, and Bob Bartlett all of whom went on to set up their own independent studios. Gil moved to North Carolina and he continues to occasionally fire up his furnace.

Karnig Dabanian maintained the longest-operating studio producing silver-veiled glass in Michigan. He was a partner in the Poultry Glass Works, the first independent glass studio in Detroit. He later went on to establish a studio at his home in Flat Rock, Michigan where he created beautiful silver-veiled works. They can be found in many private, public and corporate collections. Karnig provided tremendous support and encouragement to his fellow glass artists. With his passing last year, the glass community lost a treasured artist. One of his works is represented on the cover of this year's brochure.

We encourage you to support your local arts community by attending events and purchasing art from Michigan artists at these great venues.

EVENTS ARE HAPPENING IN: