Chrysler Museum Perry Glass Studio
Original works by local artists from the Chrysler Museum Perry Glass Studio are on display year-round in ORF’s Main Lobby. Installations from the Glasstopia collection are rotated twice yearly and feature a variety of styles showcasing the artists’ cultural backgrounds and disciplines.
Guillermo Castañeda, Jr.
United States, born 1995
Terreform Spore, 2024
Pate de verre (cast powder glass)
Castañeda explores themes of strength in vulnerability through his glasswork, using the medium’s fragility and flexibility to communicate personal growth and resilience. His experimental pieces, created using pâte de verre, involve layering powder glass between loose plaster, embodying his belief that artists are modern-day alchemists connecting through shared experiences.
A queer, gay Latino artist born in Texas, Castañeda has worked as a Studio Assistant at the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio and as instructor manager at Dallas Glass Art. He strives to live authentically and be a positive influence.
Grant Garmezy
United States, born 1984
Golden Era, 2024
Sculpted glass
Garmezy’s pieces are meticulously handcrafted from solid glass. Gold leaf is applied to the clear molten glass before shaping begins. This intricate process requires a team of assistants and is a testament to his mastery of glass artistry, which is considered among the finest today.
Originally from rural Tennessee, Garmezy’s passion for glass began at Virginia Commonwealth University and now reaches millions globally through social media. His works housed in prestigious collections worldwide.
Grantgarmezyglass.com
Onaleisa Howerton
United States, 1999
Growth, 2024
Glass enamel, ceramic, rocks, faux moss
Onaleisa Howerton, known as ONA, created this glass plant to capture the essence of mindfulness while using color, space, and form to evoke an appreciation for life’s subtle, often overlooked moments. Each leaf and stem reflect a commitment to embracing the fleeting nature of joy, inviting viewers to pause and find beauty in simplicity.
Born in Norfolk, ONA draws inspiration from nature, music, and personal experiences and uses glass as both a therapeutic medium and means to challenge societal norms.
Onaglassworks.com | Instagram: @thequeenofglass
Matt Jacob
United States, born 1994
Vegan Cheesehead, 2024
Blown and flameworked glass
A Wisconsin native and self-proclaimed dairy heretic, Jacob is a glass artist, vegan, and passionate Green Bay Packers fan whose work often explores themes of identity, community, and change. His art, which includes hand-pulled colorful glass tubing shaped with techniques used for neon lights, reflects the complexity of being many conflicting things at once.
Now living in Norfolk, Jacob instructs at the Chrysler Museum Perry Glass Studio. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has held fellowships and residencies at WheatonArts, Starworks Glass and Pilchuck Glass School, among others.
Instagram: @matt_jay_art
Staci Katsias
United States
Gust, 2024
Reclaimed glass, kiln formed
Katsias’ work celebrates the power and healing force of nature, emphasizing its constant presence and ability to sustain us. Her art, which incorporates reclaimed materials, focuses on ecology, conservation and the concept of wholeness.
Katsias is an award-winning artist and inaugural artist-in-residence at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. Her work is displayed in numerous public and private collections including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Laura McFie
United States
DEPTHS, 2024
Blown and solid glass
McFie’s work draws inspiration from the symbolism of anchors, which represent stability and strength in the face of adversity, much like how one finds tranquility when grounded in truth. Her project was influenced by the recent discovery of a centuries-old stockless anchor during the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel expansion project, highlighting an anchor’s role in helping ships weather storms.
A staff member at the Chrysler Museum of Art’s Perry Glass Studio, McFie fell in love with glassblowing at Tidewater Community College and has since dedicated herself to teaching, exhibiting and expanding her glass art practice.
John Miller
United States, born 1966
Belly Buster, 2012
Brown and sculpted glass
Miller created the iconic glass cheeseburger in 2012 while a visiting artist at the Chrysler Museum Perry Glass Studio. Weighing more than 60 pounds, the piece exemplifies Miller’s signature style of oversized diner food sculptures that push the boundaries of glass as a medium.
A sculptor since 1987 and a longtime instructor at Pilchuck Glass School in Washington state, Miller’s work evokes nostalgia and showcases his expertise in both the craft and art of glassmaking.
Corey Pemberton
United States, born 1990
Untitled, 2021
Blown glass
Pemberton created two glass vessel forms during his 2021 residency at the Chrysler Museum Perry Glass Studio, using Venetian techniques to evoke the traditional baskets of Ghana. The forms represent a figure walking with a basket balanced on its head, blending cultural references with glass artistry.
A Virginia native now based in Los Angeles, Pemberton is dedicated to breaking stereotypes and fostering inclusivity through his creative practices and work with the arts nonprofit Crafting the Future.
Julia and Robin Rogers
United States, born 1977 and 1976
Mourning Gloria, 2013
Blown glass and enamel paint
Mourning Gloria is a hot sculpted glass piece from the Nouveau Nouveau series, inspired by Art Nouveau-style ceramic busts in the Chrysler Museum’s collection. The work is intricately decorated with blossoms, symbolizing rebirth and new beginnings following death.
Artists Julia and Robin Rogers, both accomplished educators at the Chrysler Museum Perry Glass Studio, blend sculpture, molten glass, and surrealism in their anthropomorphic creations.
Nelly Rose
United States, born 2001
The Moment You Find Yourself at the End of Rainbow, 2024
Cast glass and glazed ceramic
Penelope Rose, also known as “Nelly,” created this work inspired by a stormy drive on which in a fleeting moment she saw a brilliant rainbow that renewed her spirit and brightened an otherwise dismal day.
A multimedia artist from Dayton, Ohio, she often works with glass to create objects that convey elemental power, earthen magic, and a sense of playful mystery. Rose is graduate of Alfred University and draws inspiration from her surroundings. Her ever-growing collection of ideas are used to craft sculptural compositions that evoke wonder and invite imaginative narratives.
Nell-rose.com | Instagram: @nellrose_
Ian Shishido
United States, born 1995
House of Fabergé, 2024
Sculpted, cut, ground and polished glass
Shishido creates glass sculptures inspired by personal experiences using abstract and literal forms with specific color applications to captivate the viewer. His work, such as the sculpture House of Fabergé, reflects his fascination with how society attaches value to objects, particularly how rarity and fragility influence worth.
Born and raised on Oahu, Shishido discovered a glass studio at the University of Hawaii in 2016 and has since dedicated himself to mastering the medium to help share his craft with the world.
Instagram: @glasshishido
Ece Tansel
Turkey, born 1993
Romantic Dinner, 2024
Flameworked borosilicate glass and mixed media
Tansel’s work brings together romance, whimsy and monsters. These borosilicate glass flowers require no care or responsibility but will die if they fall.
Born in Ankara, Tansel specializes in flameworking with designs that blend the whimsical aspects of nature with human lifeforms, a style developed after her graduation from Anadolu University in 2017.
Instagram: @ecetanselglass
Kristi Totoritis
United States, born 1988
Unavailability, 2024
Flameworked borosilicate glass
Totoritis’ work draws from American traditional tattooing and pop punk/emo aesthetics, exploring themes of vulnerability, secrets, and insecurities. This piece is a reflection of how she expresses her emotions, often wearing her heart on her sleeve, and represents the quiet, hidden aspects of life.
Born in California, Totoritis holds a Master of Visual Arts from the Australian National University and teaches at Old Dominion University and the Chrysler Museum of Art’s Perry Glass Studio. She creates wearable art and contemporary glass memento mori through her brand, heartcoreglass.
Kristitotoritis.com • Instagram: @heartcoreglass
Sarah E. Vaughn
United States, born 1985
Considering the Limitless, 2023
Cast glass with dye-oxide and patina application
This piece is part two of a triptych that explores a girl’s dreams of possibility while navigating her present reality. The figurative artwork captures fleeting emotional moments, confronting the artist’s past and the things she struggles to release.
Vaughn is a Southern Illinois native and earned a master’s degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has received numerous grants and awards, completed multiple artist residencies and resides at the Penland School of Craft in North Carolina.
Sarahvaughnglass.com | Instagram: @sarahvaughnglass
Community Artwork
King Neptune
On loan from the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, this bronze maquette is a replica of the iconic King Neptune statue located at Neptune’s Park on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
It’s the perfect welcome for travelers embarking on adventures throughout the Coastal Virginia region and beyond.
Student Art Wall
ORF’s Student Art Wall features works by talented student artists from the region’s elementary, middle and high schools.
Works rotate each month to bring vibrant creativity to the Main Lobby throughout the year.
Jerome W. Jones, Jr. and Jeromyah Jones
United States
I AM 400, 2019
On display in the Main Lobby, I AM 400 is a collection of 69 works of art created by Jerome W. Jones, Jr. and his son, Jeromyah Jones.
Featuring both well- known pioneers and unsung heroes, the works are focused on the 400-year journey of African-Americans and their solutions for a better future. This project has been featured across media channels both nationally and internationally.