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Eternal Cycle)
The Tree of LifePartners in every sense of the word, John Littleton and Kate Vogel are internationally known for their Bag Series, represented in the White House Craft Collection and numerous public and private collections. John's family has been involved with glass for three generations. His father, Harvey Littleton, originated the studio-glass movement in the United States. Kate Vogel was studying printmaking at the University of Wisconsin when she met John. A trip to Murano Italy finalized her conversion. The couple was soon working with hot glass in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where Harvey Littleton had already settled.
The evolution of their art has been rapid and astonishing. Having defied physics with their blown pieces, they have now become masters of glass casting. An ongoing series explores development from childhood to old age, vividly capturing both strength and pain, and celebrating the wonder of the human form. The pieces are dramatic in scale and complexity. A single work may require 30-50 pounds of hot glass and 6 weeks in the annealing oven. The failure rate is high, even for this team. But they just keep pushing limits, and glass collectors around the world eagerly await the next steps in their artistic journey.
