Glass artist Sean Donlon (Photo by Sarah Walor)
Ask artist Sean Donlon what he likes best about working with glass, and his answer comes easily. “You get to play with fire,” he says, smiling, as he gracefully twirls a molten glass rod through the flame of a small but mighty torch. “That’s something I have enjoyed my entire life, but now it’s a constructive process.”
Donlon has dedicated himself to perfecting the ancient art of glass blowing. It’s a discipline that combines artistry with chemistry, precise technique with improvisation, and physical stamina with delicacy. As he manipulates glass with a flame, it’s like watching a painter use a paint brush or a musician play an instrument.
“When I’m 60, I’ll still be behind this torch and I will still be getting better,” he says. “When I first started, I just wanted to be the best glassblower I could be. I had no other aspiration.”
Donlon has found countless ways to express his take on the classic teapot form.
Donlon is well on his way to achieving perfection in the craft. Last fall, his mirrored glass teapots were named Best in Show at the Visual Arts Center’s annual Craft + Design show. His work was included in the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art’s juried “New Waves 2017” exhibition in January, and he is included in the Peninsula Fine Arts Center’s “Dream House Remix” exhibition on display July 8 through Oct. 8. He will have a solo show at Quirk Gallery in 2018. His work is available there and through the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts gift shop.
Donlon graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Craft and Material Studies. He had previously studied marine biology at Old Dominion University, but after meeting a glassblower and trying it out himself, he was hooked on the medium. Today he works full time as a glass artist, from his Mule Barn Craft Studios in The Fan.
He credits VCU with giving him not only the technical skills necessary to work with glass, but also the knowledge of the conceptual aspects of fine art. “I learned how to see and think about art in a different way,” he says.
Donlon's teapot assemblages are meant to be hung on the wall.
Today, Donlon’s work focuses on teapots and teacups that are sometimes functional and sometimes decorative, when gathered together and mounted as an assemblage. Their mirrored finish, achieved through a chemical process, makes them look as if they are made of metal. Closer inspection reveals intentional distortions and unexpected undulations that elevate them from useful objects to art.
Donlon considers the teapot to be a universal symbol that is recognized by many cultures. “A teapot is a beautiful canvas that has so much potential,” he says. “Two people can come together for tea and enjoy each other’s company, to slow [down] and take a moment to appreciate life.”
Sean Donlon will show his work at the Peninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News July 8 through Oct. 8.
