The Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) is pleased to welcome acclaimed glass artist and Blown Away season one winner Deborah Czeresko for the Guest Artist Pavilion Project (GAPP) residency. Known for their bold and thought-provoking glasswork, Czeresko will be in residence at TMA from April 9–18 engaging visitors through public demonstrations and a special artist lecture.
“Deborah Czeresko’s work challenges conventions, using glass to explore themes of identity, gender, and power,” said Alan Iwamura, glass studio manager, TMA. “Czeresko’s residency at TMA will be an exciting opportunity for visitors to experience Czeresko’s artistry up close and to engage with an artist who is redefining contemporary glass.”
Czeresko will offer a free public lecture on April 17 from 6-7 p.m. in the Glass Pavilion on the TMA campus, where the artist will discuss their artistic journey, creative influences, and groundbreaking work in contemporary glassmaking. Attendees should note that some of the content in the lecture may include adult themes.
During their residency, Czeresko will also conduct a series of live glassblowing demonstrations at 2 p.m. on April 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, and 18. These dynamic sessions provide visitors with an opportunity to witness Czeresko’s innovative approach to glass firsthand and gain insight behind the artist’s sculptural works.
Czeresko, a New York-based artist, gained international recognition after winning the first season of Netflix’s Blown Away, a competitive glassblowing series that showcased Czeresko’s dynamic skill, expressive artistry, and powerful vision. With a career spanning over three decades, Czeresko has exhibited their work in major institutions such as Corning Museum of Glass, New Orleans Museum of Art, and Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and continues to push the boundaries of glass as a medium. The Toledo Museum also has a work by Czersko in its collection--Oh God/ Martina 59/9 (2019).
