Rob Morey

Biography

Glass artist Rob Morey comes from a background of sculpture in stone, wood, and bronze. Previously, Morey worked as an assistant under several bay area sculptors. Ultimately, his early art career led him to teaching at the high school level as well as adults in community education programs, which Morey still does from time to time. He has taught photography, drawing, computer graphics, and animation. "I enjoy teaching because I find it exciting when a student finds their own voice and begins a new journey making art. It has always been my goal in life to make a difference… to leave something behind." While visiting one of his previous high school students in June 2001, who is involved in glass fusing, Morey found himself hopelessly drawn to the medium. He fell in love with the way the light and the glass seemed to dance together, interacting with each other. He took an introductory class just to check things out, and immediately felt at home with the process. Morey began taking glass-fusing classes all over the west coast with some of the best artists in the business. Morey quit his teaching job and invested in all of the tools of the trade and began his own journey of kiln working glass in September 2002. Today, Rob Morey is creating some of the most unique fused glass around.

Artist Statement

In recent history our society has tried to separate humanity from our bond with the natural world. Christianity and science have taught that “Man” is more reasonable, more spiritual and more deserving than the lower forms of life on our planet. Recently we are seeing the flaws in this philosophy and there are movements to stop the effects of more than a century of this disconnect from nature. I’ve always found the natural world beautiful and fascinating and through my work I attempt to express humanity’s patent connection to the earth and our relationship to it. I choose to work in glass because it is both a beautiful material and metaphor of humans attempting to control a seemingly chaotic universe. Glass is a man-made material whose beauty can rival that of the most precious gems or metal. Yet we can find it lining our doors and windows or inauspiciously holding water at our dinner table. It is both elite and common, much like us. I create images which represent what I find fascinating and beautiful in nature. I do not always intend to represent these images in a realistic manner but rather to express the essence of what inspired me. I sometimes combine screen printed images with my exploration of lines, textures, colors and shapes within the glass. My intention is not to create a realistic scene, but an idea which is presented in such a way that the artwork is a beautiful and separate entity unto itself. My hope is that the viewer will be able to see where the inspiration originated and still enjoy the beauty of the glass as an object of art.

Art Education

2007 “Space, Light, Glass”; Pilchuck Glass School Marian Karel and Daniel Henzlik Stanwood, WA. 2006 “Thinking About Glass”; Jane Bruce and Steve Kline, Portland, OR. 2005 “Thinking in Glass”; Sylvia Levenson, Portland OR. 2005 “Fusing with Frits and Powders”; Bob Leatherbarrow, San Diego, CA. 2003 “Expanding the Color Pallet”; Roger Thomas, Gardena, CA. 2003 “Developing Style”; Doug Randal and Jack Doppler,Portland OR. 2003 “Glass Fusing Techniques” Brock Craig and Avery Anderson, Portland OR. 1995 B.A. Fine Arts California State University Stanislaus

Awards

2009 ACGA Invitational at Marin MOCA, Novato, CA. 2007 Pilchuck Glass School Juried Auction Sale 2005 Art Glass Association of Southern California San Diego 2004 Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California, Alameda County Building, Oakland CA. Art Glass Association of Southern California, San Diego 2nd Place 3D design 2003 Art Glass Association of Southern California San Diego Best of Show