Untitled from the Tierra Del Fugo Series

Mary Ann Zynsky, known professionally and to her friends as Toots, was a pivotal figure in the early experimental days of studio glass, producing—alongside others—video and performance works incorporating various kinds of glass. Zynsky pioneered and further developed a distinctive method known as filet de verre, meaning “glass thread,” which allows for compelling explorations of color as well as texture, and can be seen in this piece from her Tierra del Fuego series.