Ron Desmett
Glass: A Delicate Balance (Ron Desmett)
February 26 - April 04, 2015
Ron Desmett
Press Release
We were saddened to learn of the passing of Ron Desmett on December 7, 2016. Ron reinvented the process of making glass, producing black and amorphous works that were not translucent and mocked functionality. His works were a form of eccentric beauty that were inspired by and made in nature.
Ron was the best kind of human being who made a difference in our creative world.
Kim Foster Gallery is pleased to present the recent glass works by Ron Desmett and Kathleen Mulcahy. Each has a unique approach to the material.
The recent work by Ron Desmett is less dense then his prior black “Lidded Trunk Vessels.” He sparingly introduces color into his glass forms. Several objects interact, some translucent and some opaque, making the whole feel less weighty, a more delicate balance. In “Swimming in Limbo,” Desmett creates objects floating in what appears to be an aquatic void, but in that void they have a relationship to each other as if drawn to each other by gravity.
Ron Desmett lives and works in Oakdale, PA with his partner, Kathleen Mulcahy. For the past 30 years, they have worked as independent artists on projects for installation in private glass collections, corporate offices, public art projects, and solo exhibitions throughout the United States. They developed the Pittsburgh Glass Center, for which they were honored as Pennsylvania Artist of the Year in 2013. Their glass works are in many public and private art gallery collections, including the American Craft Museum, The Corning Museum of Glass, The Carnegie Museum of Art, The Renwick Galleries of the Smithsonian Institution, and The Westmoreland Museum of Art. They have won numerous awards including grants from the NEA, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and a Fulbright.
Biography
EXHIBITIONS
2015 Glass: A Delicate Balance, Kim Foster Gallery, New York, NY
2012 Eccentric Beauty, Kim Foster Gallery, New York, NY
2011 Curious Harmony, Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
Cycles and Symbols; Nature in Glass, Museum of American Glass, Wheaton Arts, Millville, NJ
2010 A Decade and Change, Borelli Edwards Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
2009 A Matter of Form, Cohen Gallery, Alfred, NY
Perestroika,(n) Restructuring: The Glass Sculpture of Kathleen Mulcahy, Ron Desmett and Martin Prekop, Selby Gallery, Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, Fl
2008 New Glass Review, Corning Museum International Review, Corning, NY
2007 New Works, West Virginia University, Morgantown WV
Truth/Beauty Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts, Chautauqua Institute, NY
hpgrp gallery, New York, NY
Project 4. Washington, D.C.
Contemporary Glass by Mid-Atlantic Artists, Museum of American Glass, Millville, NJ
GLASSIFIED James Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
GLASSNOST Regina Gouger Miller Gallery, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
2006 Truth/Beauty The Hodge Gallery, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Savoir Arts Exhibition Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, PA
2005 Well Hung : Chandeliers Revealed, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA
2003 25″ Anniversary Exhibition The Glass Gallery, Bethesda, MD
Artists Crossing Lines Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA
20/20 American Museum of Glass, Millville, NJ
2001 Artist Image Resource Foreland Street Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
2000 Westmoreland Museum of Art, Greensburg, PA
1998 Recycling Art History Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
1999 Mendelson Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1997 Kean University, Union, NJ
1996 Hi.s + Hers + Ours Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Galleries, Pittsburgh, PA
ReVisions The Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, OH
1995 Rosemont College, Philadelphia, PA
1994 The University of Akron, Akron, OH
1994 Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
1993 Five Sculptors Ohio State University, Lima Campus, Lima, OH
1992 Current Trends (award) Huntington Museum of Art, HUNTINGTON, WV
1992 National Glass Invitational Concept Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1991 -1994 Hard Choices/Just Rewards/Johnstown Art Museum, PA; The Blair Museum, Toledo, OH;
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; Everhart Museum, Scranton, PA; Edinboro University, Edinboro,
PA; Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA; The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA.
1993 Works on Walls Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, WV
1989 The University Museum at Indiana University, Indiana, PA
1988 Spaces, Cleveland, OH
1983 New Glass Review, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY
1981 American Art at its Best, American Art Incorporated, Atlanta, GA
1979-92 Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
AWARDS / GRANTS / HONORS
2013 Pennsylvania Artist of the Year, Governor’s Awards for the Arts
2010 Glass Artist in Residence, Tacoma Museum Tacoma, WA
2009 Artist Fellowship, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
2006 New Hazlett Theater, Allegheny Center, Pittsburgh, PA
AIA Pittsburgh Chapter Honor Award, Pittsburgh, PA
2002-2007 Board of Directors, Founder’s Chair, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA
2001. Artist in Residence, Artist lmage Resource, Pittsburgh, PA
1991 Masterworks Fellowship, Creative Glass Center of America, Millville, NJ
1990 Artist Fellowship Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
1988 Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Annual Exhibition, Jurors’ Award
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
1986 Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Annual Exhibition, Jurors’ Award
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
1985 Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Annual Exhibition, Jurors’ Award
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
1983 Artist Fellowship Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Wabash College Purchase Award, Glass of ’83
1981 Artist Fellowship Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Annual Exhibition, Sculpture Award
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
UNIQUE PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS
2007 Set Design, Sound of A Voice, Philip Glass Opera, Pittsburgh Opera Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
1991-01 Co Founder, The Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA ‘1991 Art Director, Public Arts Project, Carnegie, PA
SELECTED COMMISSIONS
2008 Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA
American Eagle Headquarters, Pittsburgh, PA
Air Products, Allentown, PA
2002 Public Art, City of Pittsburgh, Troy Hill, PA
2001 Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Headquarters, Harrisburg, PA
1994 Port Authority Light Rail Transit Station, Pittsburgh, PA
1993 Governors Awards for Excellence, Harrisburg, PA
1991 Penn Center West, Pittsburgh, PA
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
Cleveland Museum of Ar1, Cleveland, OH
Westmoreland Museum of Art, Greensburg, PA
Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Peat Marwick, Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh National Bank, Pittsburgh, PA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2013 John Drury, Review of Ron Desmett at Kim Foster Gallery, Glass Quaterly, Spring issue
2010 A Decade and Change, Borelli Edwards Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, 100 Years Anniversary, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
2009 Kristina Olson, A Perestroika of Form, Perestroika (n) Restructuring: The Glass Sculpture of Kathleen Mulcahy,, Ron Desmett and Martin Prekop, Selby Gallery, Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, Fl
2008 Susanne Frantz Glass Art Society Journal, Pittsburgh, PA
Ron Desrnett Making Sense of Place, Glass Art Society Journal
Geoffey W. Melada, Together 24/7, Pittsburgh Magazine, February
Paul Krainak, GI,ASSNOST Exhibition Catalog Essay, Pittsburgh, PA
2007 Gallery Section, American Craft. June-July
John Altodorfer, Pittsburgh Glass, Carnegie Magazine. Summer
Kristina Olson, Truth/ Beauty Exhibition Review. Sculpture Magazine
Burkhardt Reiter, Opera Theater Deftly Fuses Elements in ‘Sound of Voice’, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 28
Mary Thomas, Glassnost CMU gallery represents enlightened ideas. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 27
Kurt Shaw, CMU exhibit brings ‘transparency’ to art. Pittsburgh Tribune Review, June 17
Ron Todt, Exhibitions look through the g/ass city’, Buffalo News, April 8
Mark Kanny, Opera Theater mixes eras, cultures in ‘Voice’…. Pittsburgh Tribune Review. April 28
2006 Kurt Shaw, Glass artists celebrate return to studio. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, September 3
Gregory M Knepp, Glass Stations, Pittsburgh City Paper, July 19
Mary Thomas, Dreams are captured under glass in ‘Truth/Beauty.. ..’
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 24
Michael O’Sullivan, A Show Full of ldeas, Washington Post, January 13
2005 Barry Hannegan, Chandeliers Melt into Fresh and Fragile Shapes. December 21,
Best of Exhibitions, Top Ten. Pittsburgh Post Gazette. December 29
Honorable Mention, Best of Year, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, December 29
Mary Thomas, Region’s artists mount an excellent exhibition. Pittsburgh Post Gazette, May l 8
2003 Frantz, Susanne K. 20/20 Vision, Museum of American Glass at Wheaton Village, NJ
2000 Graham Shearing, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art Launches a Survey, Feb 20, 2000
Thomas, Mary. Historic, modem glassworks sparkle in show…. April 8
1996 Graham Shearing. ‘His + Hers + Ours’ a treat in a loft. Tribune Review September 27
Mary Thomas, Mystery, eye catching images prevail in MP Gallery exhibit…. Pittsburgh Post Gazette,
September 16
Mary Thomas, Local trio’s exhibit mixes playful, serious. Pittsburgh Post Gazette, April 18
1990 Bill Homisak, The Smashing Glass of Mulcahy, Desmett, Greensburg Tribune-Review