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Will Dexter

Internationally acclaimed glass artist, Will Dexter originally studied Marine Biology for three years at the University of Miami. He then moved to go to the University of Wisconsin where he studied glass for two years. Determined on being a glass artist, Will received his B.FA. from Tyler School of Art. Afterward, he attended the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design for his M.F.A. in glass. In 1990, will received a Masterworks Fellowship by the Creative Glass Center of America, Millville, NJ. Currently Will is a glass instructor at the Tyler School of Art. He and his wife, Karla have lectured and taught glass at renowned Pilchuck Glass School, Penland Craft School, and Rhode Island School of Design.

 

Will's work is exhibited throughout the world in major galleries, universities, and museums, including: National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Japan; the Glasmuseum Wertheim, Germany; the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; the Museum of the State of Rhode Island; the Museum of American Glass, Wheaton Village, NJ; the Tyler School of Art Temple University, PA; Bowling Green State University, OH; the Wustum Museum, WI; and Feria Internacional De Ceramica, Vidrio, Valencia, Spain.

Will Dexter's work is sought after by public, private, and corporate collections including: Corning Museum of Glass, NY; the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, WI; the High Museum of Art, GA; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Columbia Museum of Art, SC; the F. Pfannebecker Collection, PA; the Cincinnati Bell Collection, OH; the Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana; and the Pilchuck Collection, Stanwood, WA. Will Dexter is known for his massive sculptural vessels magnified by dynamic swirling forms of color among precious dichroic glass.

 

"I love working with glass as a physical activity that results in objects which are beautiful." Will further describes his attraction to creating large objects as, "I enjoy designing and solving problems, which makes taking on large corporate commissions especially viable and interesting for me." His skill and creativity is revealed by Will's ever evolving work, including the use of dichroic glass. Dichroic glass is a very thin glass which was originally developed for high technology applications, and is now admired by glass artists for it's ability to transmit one color while reflecting another. "Although I explore many ideas, I seem to return to images that have an aquatic feeling. Perhaps this reflects my childhood living on Florida's Gulf Coast, my education in marine biology, or maybe it's because I respond to the sensual wetness of glass."

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