Throughout Paul Stankard's storied and groundbreaking career, he has established the ability to create plantlife from the glass with both extraordinary delicacy and monastic focus. His Orb series has both a dreamlike feeling and nearly fecund realness, which makes sense for an artist and poet who is so passionately influenced by Walt Whitman: the beloved and iconic writer who embraced a transition between transcendentalism and realism. For his inclusion in this exhibition, Stankard created a pink lady slipper orchid. Based on the memory of picking this rare flower for his mom, and her insistence that he never picks the endangered species, this lesson was an important touchstone in his life. From this, Paul has cultivated a deep reverence for and appreciation of botanicals and has shaped his career around this venture.
Paul Stankard (American, b. 1943)
Orchid Orb, 2020
Blown Glass