Einar & Jamex de la Torre

Diablo de los Sentidos (Devil of the Senses)  2005

The (mostly) Glass Ceiling, by brothers Einar and Jamex de la Torre, presents an amalgamation of traditional Mexican art integrated with critical social concepts, creating a unique identity through blown and cast glass.

The brothers were born in Guadalajara and moved to California in 1972. Jamex started lampworking glass in 1977 and Einar began in 1980 and both attended California State University at Long Beach. The brothers have exhibited their work internationally and have work in the collection of the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Arizona State University Art Museum, the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art and the Mexican Fine Art Museum in Chicago, among many others.

Einar and Jamex are presently living and working in both Ensenada, Mexico and San Diego, California. They will be featured presenters at the Glass Art Society Conference in Portland (June 19-21). Their talk is titled "Multiple personalities in order" and will be on Saturday, June 21 from 1:30-2:30 pm.
www.glassart.org

Art of the Glass Pipe

Banjo- "Disco Chopper"  2008

Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass Pipes boldly showcases the work of 16 glass artists from throughout the United States, exhibiting pieces that fall outside the boundaries of conventional art. This exhibition provides a snapshot into the history of glass pipes and shows the direct influence the pipe movement has had on the evolution of lampworking. Like most movements, the pipe movement represents a social upheaval to those who do not understand the more taboo parts of the culture. As a result, glass pipe artists have felt marginalized and their pipes categorized as less than art. Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass Pipes challenges the cultural norms, pushing these glass sculptural pipes within the boundaries of “official culture”.

Artists include: Banjo, Bearclaw, Clinton aka JDC Roman, Cowboy, Darby Holm, Eusheen, HOPS, J.A.G. aka Nathan Purcell, Jahnny Rise, Jason Lee, JOP aka Joshua Opdenaker, Marcel, Pakoh, Salt, Slinger, Snic, Ukiah.