Artist Profile Series: John de Wit, Glass Farmer

John de Wit, of Whidbey Island, grinds grooves into a glass sculpture in his studio. © 2008 Russell Sparkman

The Pacific Northwest has become synonymous with glass art, so it's no surprise that many of them have gravitated to the islands. Whidbey Island, often referred to as the "Isle of Murano" of Puget Sound, is particularly known for its glass artists.

Every July, MUSEO in Langley presents the annual Whidbey Island Glass Invitational, featuring works by more than two dozen artists, from both on and off the island.
One of the many glass artists who calls Whidbey home is John de Wit. He and his wife, artist Meredith MacLeod, moved to Whidbey in 1989 and have successfully combined their art and love of a rural lifestyle.

Calling himself a "mid-career artist," John was in the first wave of glass blowers to relocate to the island. "I like it," says John from his bucolic spread on the south end of the island. "Living here has made me stronger as an individual ... it's an agreeable place to work."

John and his four-legged companion Rita make their way from the glasswork workshop to his studio. © 2007 Russell Sparkman

The talented artist studied glass and ceramics at California State University in Chico in the late 1970s, attended the Pilchuck Glass School and was a glassblowing assistant to Pacific Northwest glass guru Dale Chihuly. He's been a featured speaker and lecturer both here and abroad.

John and Meredith also created their island home, which includes individual workshops along with John's hot shop. Meredith is a multi-media artist and printmaker, and also works in glass and tile. Together, their bodies of work are impressive.

John describes his glass art as using the "vessel as canvas." Not only is he credited with the development of using glass paints in the glassblowing process, he's recognized as a leading glass artist and teacher throughout the world.

John arranges a collection of his glass sculptures for display in the studio on his property. © 2008 Russell Sparkman

He recently won the coveted Gold Prize at the 5th Cheongju International Craft Competition in Korea and his work is in the collections of the The Boeing Company in Chicago, Microsoft and the Corning Glass Museum.

John's inspiration comes from various sources: African objects, Japanese and Korean ceramics and Persian and Indian metal work. He combines his own painting techniques with hybridized Swedish and Italian glass blowing processes. Among the contemporary artists he admires are Robert Motherwell, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Rauschenberg and the sculptor Martin Puryear.

John also says that he pursues "the road less traveled" when it comes to describing a theme or thread in his work. "The vessels and objects I produce reflect an interest in glass transcending its common purpose and achieving a sculptural possibility," he explained.

Every piece is one of a kind - each a unique piece of sculpture in its own right.
When he's not being John the Artist, he easily slips into his John the Farmer role, happy to be working in his lush vegetable garden. "If I wasn't doing this," he says about his art, "I'd be farming."

But John remains passionate about the art of glass, enjoying the discipline and craftsmanship. "When I'm blowing glass, I'm the happiest," he says.
And he laughs when describing glass blowers as "kind of the truck drivers of the art world."

Pretty cool truck drivers, indeed.

___________________________________________

Whidbey and Camano Islands are only 25 miles north of Seattle, and 2 hours south of Vancouver. See Directions and Maps to learn more about how to get here.