LIFE ART LIFE | William Bernstein 50 Year Retrospective
August 6 – October 9, 2022
Kokol Gallery
Gallery Talk
August 12, 2022
4PM – 5PM
Kokol Gallery
Opening Reception:
August 12, 2022
5PM – 7 PM
Kokol Gallery
Closing Reception:
October 7, 2022
5PM – 7PM
Kokol Gallery
This exhibition is a retrospective of the blown glass work and paintings of William Bernstein, an artist who has been at the forefront of the North Carolina studio glass movement for over 50 years. The exhibition also coincides with the United Nations’ declaration of the Year 2022 as the Year of Glass and the 60th Anniversary of the Studio Glass Movement.
The exhibition is curated by Bernstein, assisted by Jordan Ahlers from Momentum Gallery, Asheville, NC. He and Billy selected approximately forty sculptural works and twenty wall pieces that span his career. The artist’s unique style of incorporating images on glass is mirrored stylistically in his two-dimensional paintings. So much of his work and family life are evident in his art forms – portraits of the people, pets, and environs that surround him. Both an online and printed catalog are being planned that will include narratives about Billy’s lifetime of art written by Bill Warmus, former curator at Corning Museum of Glass, and will include images from the show.
A retrospective of Bernstein, who has lived most of his professional life in this community, provides a great opportunity for our community to imagine a life surrounded by art. As a retrospective exhibition, it creates a visual summary of the separate elements of Bernstein’s art over time – his motives, goals, and achievements. It shows and captures his ability to work simultaneously in diverse mediums. A life well lived surrounded by art.
#242 Double Glass Blower
2009
#168 Large Blue Vase with Two Figures
2006
#173 Dancer with Iris and Baseball
1981
#54 Glassblower Painting
1990
