Dramatic centerpieces, which are offered to bidders during the event, have become a highlight and signature of Pilchuck's Annual Auction. This year, a large pool of proposals from outstanding artists gave the Auction Committee the opportunity to move in a dramatic new direction, selecting a centerpiece designed by artists Lisa Schwartz and Kurt Swanson of New York's Pinkwater Glass.

Kurt Swanson and Lisa Schwartz with their son Oliver

"The competition was impressive, but Kurt and Lisa's work was an easy choice," says Auction Co-Chair Jeannie Pollart. "We loved the graceful lines and wonderful colors they used in their designs, and we knew these centerpieces would help set a warm, celebratory tone for the Auction."

The couple developed their strong sense of design and spirited approach to color as students at the Massachusetts College of Art. Both artists received their masters' degrees from Mass Art in the spring of 1983. Shortly after graduation, the couple moved to upstate New York, where they founded Pinkwater Glass. Their colorful and often whimsical designs range from high quality production pieces to one-of-a-kind blown objects, mixed media furniture and lighting. Their work has been shown in exhibitions at the American Craft Council and the Smithsonian Museum, among others, and is included in the White House Collection of American Glass, the Renwick Museum, the Gla§museum at Ebeltoft, Denmark and the American Craft Museum.

The centerpieces were created and assembled at Pilchuck during May, 2000, prior to the formal opening of the school. On May 8, a team of 20 volunteer glassblowers from as far away as Japan and Canada came together at the Pilchuck Hot Shop to begin the ambitious project. Two weeks and many late nights later, 101 centerpieces were assembled in Pilchuck's studio building. As in past years, the Poleturner's Union Local 1201 played a key role in the centerpiece project. Current and former students from Canada's Alberta College of Art, the Poleturners make an annual pilgrimage to Pilchuck to lend their support to the project. "We owe a tremendous debt to all of the artists who took time out of their lives to participate in this exciting project," says Interim Director Benjamin Moore. A special acknowledgement goes to Pilchuck staffers Mark Morris and Leslie Ulrich, who helped coordinate the glassblowing team.

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