"Spirit Bottle," a three-dimensional glass sculpture by Erwin Eisch, from Harvey Littleton's private collection.
At age 19, Eisch was apprenticed in the glass engraving workshop of his father and later studied at the School for Glassmaking and the Academy of Fine Arts, both in Germany. After his family started a glass factory, Eisch went back to school to study sculpture. Upon his return, he set up a studio in the factory's basement to create sculptures in glass. In 1962 Harvey Littleton, excited to hear of a fellow artist using glass as a fine art medium, visited Eisch, and the two became friends.
Since 1962, Eisch has exhibited his glasswork throughout the world. He has lectured at numerous glass symposia and has been a guest teacher at many universities. In 2004 a large solo exhibition of Eisch's work included nine glass portrait busts of Littleton. The busts, all blown from the same glass mold, were altered while hot and later cold-worked with engraved imagery and script to make each a unique expression.
READ ON:
Artist profile: Herb Jackson
About the exhibit: "Littleton, Chihuly & Friends"
