The exquisite centerpieces, which are available for bidding on Auction evening, are a highlight and signature of Pilchuck's Auction. This year the Auction Committee asked Katherine Gray to design candelabras specially for the Auction's 25th Anniversary, and the results are astonishing!

Gray describes her approach and experience: "Through my years of working in glass, I have always received great joy from making functional tableware, including centerpieces, candelabra being one such example. There are technical as well as aesthetic challenges in their making, and I enjoy this aspect because it engages both my mind and my hands. Although each one is unique, I think they really look great when there are several of them together. The way the candlelight interacts with the glass and its silvery sheen can be quite magical."

She continues, "Making these candelabra for the Pilchuck Auction is a real pleasure. It is a great opportunity to work with a big team of wonderful people and see what can happen with everybody's input. It's a big change from my regular way of working, which is to make all the parts and put everything together myself. Evolution and change come much more slowly. Working with the Poleturners, parts get made by different people — some people are making bases, some are making the candleholders — and it becomes a big collaboration. The results can be seen on each table at the Auction."

Katherine Gray graduated from the Ontario College of Art in Canada and received her M.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design. She has shown at Elliott-Brown Gallery, Robert Lehman Gallery / UrbanGlass, the Bellevue Art Museum, and the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery and the Design Exchange in Canada as part of the Glass Architecture Project. Gray has been a student, teaching assistant, instructor, and staff member at Pilchuck and currently serves on the School's Board of Trustees. She also taught workshops in Canada, Japan, and the United States.


The Poleturners Union, Local 1201

Pilchuck Glass School extends its gratitude and special recognition to the members of the Poleturners Union, Local 1201, who worked with designer Katherine Gray to complete this years unique and elegant centerpieces.

The centerpieces were created and assembled at Pilchuck in May 2003, prior to the opening of the summer sessions. Under the leadership of Mark Gibeau, and with the assistance of professional gaffers Charles Vannatta and Nadege Desgenetez, a team of twenty-four volunteer glassblowers came together in the Pilchuck hot shop and cold shop to begin the ambitious project.

As in past years, the Poleturners 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. The team this year was one of the most highly skilled we have ever had — many members of the team work as gaffers throughout the year.

"The two-week process of creating the centerpieces is a unique example of teamwork in action. We owe a huge debt to all the artists who took time out of their lives to participate in this exciting project," says Artistic Director Pike Powers.


Special thanks to Mark Gibeau for assisting in the management of the Poleturners for the past nine years.

2003 Poleturners:

Sean Albert • Phillip Bandura • Ryan Bavin • Levi Belber • Stine Bidstrup • Katrina Brodie • Lisa Cerny • Nadege Desgenetez • Ryan Fairweather • Mark Gibeau • Katherine Gray • Diane Hansen • Scott Harris • Heather Konschuh • Rhonda Kozan • Jerry Kung • Kate Manganaro • Brian Munn • Ben Ostrom • Michelle Rak • Kathryn Saxon • Armando Sosa • Takuya Tokizawa • Charles Vannatta