Toots Zynsky

Last updated
Toots Zynsky
Born
Mary Ann Zynsky

1951 (age 73–74)
Alma mater Rhode Island School of Design
Style glass art
Bird of Paradise, 1987, in the Speed Art Museum Toots zynsky, uccello del paradiso, 1987.jpg
Bird of Paradise, 1987, in the Speed Art Museum

Mary Ann Zynsky, better known as Toots Zynsky is an American glass artist. Zynsky developed the filet-de-verre technique of glass sculpture.

Contents

Early life

A native of Boston, Zynsky was known as "Toots" almost from the time she was born. She studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, receiving her BFA before traveling to Seattle to work at the Pilchuck Glass School under Dale Chihuly; she has continued to return there as an instructor. [1] In 1970, She spent six months in the 1980s in Ghana researching the local music.

Over a sixteen year period Zynsky lived in the Netherlands, Ghana, France, and Italy. [2]

Career

Zynsky's work is known for featuring the filet-de-verre technique, which she pioneered, in which fine threads are pulled from glass canes. [1] [3] It is unlcear whether she began using this technique in 1982 while working at the New York Experimental Glass Workshop (now UrbanGlass) [4] or during her time in Europe shortly after. [5] The FiberArts Journal described the process of Zynsky's filet-de-verre technique:

To make the threads, Zynsky pulls heated glass canes into fibers as thin as hair. Using the threads as her palette, she builds them into layers. After heating the fibers to fuse them, she places the piece over a mold. In the final step, Zynsky squeezes and forms the vessel into its distinct shape. When completed, the vessels have a rough edge and textured surface that shows the original threads, much like looking at a fine warp-faced fabric. [5]

In an interview, Zynsky said she "[uses] the glass thread in a way like a drawing or a painting.It's a very similar thought process to me." [6] When discussing her inspiration, Zynsky cited her love of dance and music, saying, "when I hear music it translates to color for me." [6]

Zynsky has shown her work at exhibitions worldwide. In 1988 she was awarded the Rakow Commission for work added to The Corning Museum of Glass. [7] She designed the torch, in the shape of a prosthetic limb, for the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games. [3] She was a resident artist at the Corning Museum of Glass in 2016. [8] In 2008 she was named to the American Craft Council College of Fellows. [9]

Her work is included in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum [10] [11] and the Seattle Art Museum. [12]

Honors and Awards

References

  1. 1 2 Wright, Diane C. (2011). "New Glass at the Yale University Art Gallery". Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin : 33. ISSN   0084-3539. JSTOR   41421506.
  2. ↑ Shaykett, Jessica (2013). "Curiousity is Key". American Craft. 73 (1): 120–121 – via EBSCOhost.
  3. 1 2 "Toots Zynsky". Smithsonian American Art Museum . Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  4. ↑ Wright, Diane C. (2011). "New Glass at the Yale University Art Gallery". Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin: 33 – via JSTOR.
  5. 1 2 LaFerla, Jane (2003). "Following the Threads: Where Glass and Fiber Intersect". Fiberarts. 30 (1): 48–53 – via EBSCOhost.
  6. 1 2 Corning Museum of Glass (2011-02-15). Masters of Studio Glass: Toots Zynsky . Retrieved 2025-11-05– via YouTube.
  7. ↑ "Rakow Commission Awarded". Journal of Glass Studies. 30: 122–123. 1988. ISSN   0075-4250. JSTOR   24190813.
  8. ↑ "Toots Zynsky". Corning Museum of Glass . 2016. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Toots Zynsky". American Craft Council . Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  10. ↑ "Toots Zynsky, Hot Chaos IV, 1996". Smithsonian American Art Museum . Archived from the original on 5 March 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  11. ↑ "Toots Zynsky, Tiger FM, ca. 1992". Smithsonian American Art Museum . Archived from the original on 5 March 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  12. ↑ "Artists - Mary Ann 'Toots' Zynsky". Seattle Art Museum . Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  13. ↑ "Toots Zynsky Selected for Specialty Glass Artist Residency Program Offered by Corning Museum of Glass and Corning Incorporated". Corning Museum of Glass. 2025-02-21. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  14. ↑ "The Smithsonian Visionary Award". Smithsonian Women's Committee. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  15. ↑ "1988 Rakow Commission: Toots Zynsky". Corning Museum of Glass. Retrieved 2025-11-07.
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