Vitrix Heechees: Contemporary Glass Art from the Heart of America's Crystal City
Posted by Wally Smith on
For more than a century, Corning, New York, has been synonymous with exceptional glassmaking. Known as "America's Crystal City," Corning's artistic legacy continues today through studios such as Vitrix Hot Glass Studio, where master glassblower Tom Kelly and his team create some of the most distinctive contemporary glass art being produced anywhere in the world.
Smith Galleries is pleased to introduce three newly arrived Heechee sculptures from Vitrix Hot Glass Studio.
Located in the historic building that once housed the legendary T.G. Hawkes & Company, Vitrix operates within a setting deeply connected to Corning's celebrated glassmaking tradition. Where Hawkes helped establish Corning's international reputation for fine cut glass, Vitrix has built its own reputation through extraordinary handblown glass sculptures that are collected around the globe.
At the center of this story is Tom Kelly, whose career spans more than three decades at the furnace. Influenced by renowned glass artists and committed to uncompromising quality, Kelly has developed a distinctive artistic voice that is perhaps best represented through his iconic Heechee sculptures.
The Heechees are born from a fascinating process in which colorful molten glass is wrapped around a solid glass probe, creating elegant, dynamic forms that seem to capture movement itself. No two are alike, and each reflects the collaboration between artist, material, and the unpredictable nature of hot glass.
As Kelly explains, "I don't think I really control the molten glass. I just influence it."
That philosophy is evident in every piece produced at Vitrix. It is also a reminder that great art often emerges through partnership—between artists working together, between generations of craftsmanship, and between maker and medium.
We invite you to explore these three remarkable Heechees and experience firsthand the artistry, heritage, and imagination that continue to make Corning one of the great centers of glass art in America.
Purchase here: https://smithgalleries.com/collections/thomas-kelly