ROBERT MICKELSEN

Born: Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 1951

Resides: Florida

Robert Mickelsen Born in Virginia and was raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Robert's formal education ended after one year of college. He apprenticed with a professional lampworker for two years in the mid-seventies and then sold his own designs at outdoor craft fairs for ten years. In 1987 he took a class from Paul Stankard that opened his eyes to the possibilities of his medium. In 1989, he stopped doing craft shows and began marketing his work exclusively through galleries. Since then, his career has taken off. He shows his work in some of the finest galleries in the country and participates in prominent exhibitions each year. His work is exhibited in many prominent collections including the Renwick Gallery of American Crafts at the Smithsonian Institution, the Corning Museum of Glass, The Toledo Museum of Art, The Museum of Arts and Design, The Carnegie Museum of Art, The Mint Museum, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Museum of American Glass at Wheaton Village , and the Pilchuck Glass School.

He has taught extensively at the major glass schools including the Pilchuck Glass School , Penland School of Crafts, The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass, and The Eugene Glass School. He has filmed and produced two videos on his flameworking process. He has published numerous technical and historical articles on flameworked glass. He served for six years on the board of directors of the Glass Art Society and was their treasurer and vice-president.

EDUCATION

  • Early education at Punahou School, Honolulu, Hawaii; Humboldt State University, California
  • 2 Year Apprenticeship: 1975 - 1976 Steven L. Sebaugh, Glass Impressions, Greeley, Colorado
  • Lampworking Class at Penland from Paul Stankard 1987

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Pilchuck Glass School - 1994, 1995, 2002
  • Flameworking workshops in studio - 1997 - present
  • Frabel Studios - Atlanta, GA. - Workshop on color application. - 1997
  • Penland Crafts School - 1997
  • The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass - 1998, 1999, 2001
  • Urban Glass, Brooklyn, NY - 2000
  • Eugene Glass School - 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
  • The Pittsburgh Glass Center - 2009, 2010, 2011
  • The Eugene Glass School - 1998 - 2008

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

  • The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY
  • The Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
  • The Museum of Arts and Design, NYC
  • The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH
  • The Carnegie-Mellon Museum of Art, Pittsrburgh, PA
  • The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • The Lampwork Museum in Kobe Japan

SPECIAL HONORS

  • 1993 Corning Museum of Glass New Glass Review, vol. 14
  • “Sangre del Iguanazul” goblet purchased by Corning Museum of Glass - 1993
  • Niche Awards 1995, 1996, 1997 - First Place - Non-functional Glass, Lampworking, Teapots
  • Annual Pilchuck Exhibit at Seattle-Tacoma Airport - 1995, 1996
  • Best of Category, Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show - 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003
  • Board of directors The Glass Art Society - 1999-2005; Treasurer 2002-2003; Vice-President 2003 - 2004
  • Winner - ABCs of Glass - Mostly Glass Gallery - 1998
  • 1999 Corning Museum of Glass New Glass Review, vol. 20
  • “Organism Series - Carnivore” The Renwick Gallery permanent collection. 1999
  • “Organism Series - Alien” The Toledo Art Museum permanent collection. 2003
  • “Organism Series - Nematocyst” The Carnegie Art Museum permanent collection. 2003
  • Featured Artist at 1st Annual Flameworking Conference at Salem Community College - 2001
  • Selected as special honoree by Salem Community College at their annual flameworking conference - 2005
  • Selected as special honoree by Salem Community College at their annual flameworking conference - 2007