October 2, 2022

The Ohio Glass Museum, 124 W. Main Street in historic downtown Lancaster, recently opened its newest exhibit, Earth, Hand, & Fire, featuring glass on loan from the extensive collection of Dana Shouldis, a 104-piece gift of Fenton Glass given to the Museum from the estate of Mary Helen Hunt, and many lovely glass items selected from the Museum
archives, each item a donation to the museum.

The exhibit, which will remain on view until March 3, 2023, was curated by Anne Hart Kiphen and explores the critical relationship between the natural and man-made worlds.

“This exhibition attempts to explain how the gifts of earth’s raw materials, coupled with man’s ingenuity, efforts, and determination, have created the beautiful glass in our lives,” Hart Kiphen said.

“Showcasing not just the tremendous examples of glass themselves but also how these pieces came to fruition and the history behind the processes is what Earth, Hand, & Fire is about,” said Museum Board President Michael Shook. “It speaks to the mission of Ohio Glass Museum – to educate and enlighten.”

The Ohio Glass Museum was established in 2002 to revere the importance of the glassmaking industry in the history of Lancaster and Fairfield County. Ohio has been home to numerous glass companies over the years due to an abundant supply of natural gas and sandstone in the area.

The Museum is committed to preserving the glassmaking tradition and sharing our history with future generations. Visit the Museum Tuesdays – Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. For information about exhibits, upcoming events, and classes in the glassblowing studio, visit ohioglassmuseum.org.