Meet David Goldhagen
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David Goldhagen’s sculptural forms and massive handblown glass platters are distinguished by his unique style. His painterly approach to art glass marries bold colors to brilliant, clear crystal in a clean, modern style.
Using traditional glassblowing methods thousands of years old, David Goldhagen creates each piece individually, working with molten glass at temperatures in excess of 2000°F. His pieces capture a palette that moves from subtle to bold by the incorporation of bits of colored glass made from various mixtures of metallic oxides and rare earth elements, such as silver, cobalt, gold, copper, dichroics and others.
Each piece begins as a gathering of molten clear glass on the end of a five foot blowpipe. Colors are then meticulously layered and manipulated on the surface, creating intricate patterns and movement within the sculpture. The design is then encased in another layer of crystal. Each piece is then either mouth blown or hand sculpted.
His asymmetrical pods require unusual strength and mastery of technique, harnessing the fiery momentum, climaxing as the piece opens and spins out in one continuous movement. Some of these extraordinary pieces are in excess of 40” in diameter. Each sculpture upon completion is then annealed (a gradual cooling process), and hand polished. After a careful final inspection, the artist signs and dates his work.
His images are viewed as being organic, sensual, fluid and energetic. He draws his inspiration from his surroundings, and captures, on a platter, the glory of a sunrise over the placid lake, or the blooming of an iris, deep within a sculpture; the movement in each piece mirroring the graceful turn of a dancer...the luminous curves of a seashell...the exaltation of the human spirit.
David Goldhagen earned a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University and enrolled in advanced glass studies at Penland School, and the Pilchuck School. He is a member of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild, the Carolina Designer Craftsmen, and the Glass Art Society.
His work may be found in the permanent collections of numerous corporations, museums and foundations, including the following: Coca-Cola, Merrill Lynch, The Cerebral Palsy Foundation, Walt Disney, The North Carolina Museum of History, NC State University, City of Winter Park Public Library, Asheville Art Museum, Tucson Museum of Art, Albany Museum of Art, State Farm Arena, Atlanta.
His works have been included in exhibitions at: The American Craft Museum, NY, The Jewish Museum of Philadelphia, Ft Lauderdale Museum of Art, FL and the Fayetteville Museum of Art, NC, as well as numerous group and one man shows at galleries throughout the country.
David Goldhagen creates from large to small scale sculptural art glass as well as other functional pieces, including tables, candlesticks, perfume bottles, menorahs, and ornaments.
