ARTS&LIFE
Let the Light Shine In
LEFT: “Blue City” by Alex Bernstein. ABOVE: A vessel form by Sidney Hutter.
Habatat Galleries celebrates 50 years of showcasing glass art. SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
F
ifty years ago. Ferdinand Hampson took a liking to glass art and opened a gallery dedicated to the medium. His space, moved around the metro area and now in Royal Oak, has become the largest and oldest art gallery dedicated to glass in the United States. Hampson, applying business skills studied at Wayne State University, took on the name Habatat Galleries, giving an identifying spelling twist to the word describing a person’s preferred surroundings, and he worked nonstop at establishing a continuing group of collectors surrounding themselves with glass art. Hampson, at different times, also had galleries out of state, organized exhibitions that reached into foreign countries, helped develop museum collections, led
40
|
SEPTEMBER 16 • 2021
excursions to view studios and presenters and developed five books and dozens of catalogs about the glass artistry at the center of his interests. The first glass work that caught his eye had been a paperweight by Gilbert Johnson, who headed the glass program at what became the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, and now the gallery is inviting the public to celebrate the weighty work in bringing the unique talents of glass artists into wider recognition. Projects by Jewish artists long associated with Habatat will be featured in the celebration showing some 400 works. Although the event runs from 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, those wanting to avoid crowds are invited to come earlier in the day or view the display on the web.
Details The 50th Anniversary Gala Celebration and Exhibition of Habatat Galleries runs 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at 4400 Fernlee, Royal Oak. Visitors may view the free exhibition in person 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Projects also can be seen on the web. (248) 5540590. habitat.com. “Glass has a special characteristic of having an internal world and an external form, and very few materials can do that,” said Hampson, 74, happy in retirement that gallery operations have been turned over to sons Aaron Schey and Corey Hampson, part of a blended family of five children identifying as Jewish. “Glass artists can concentrate on making interesting images on the inside or use the materials to make structures with the form being more important. Whoever works with glass has to be aware of what light does to it. Glass is a material that separates itself from other materials
COURTESY OF HABATAT GALLERIES
ART
