Preston Singletary

Preston Singletary (born 1963 in San Francisco, California, U.S.) is a Native American glass artist.[1]

Preston Singletary
Born1963
San Francisco, California
NationalityTlingit
EducationPilchuck Glass School
Known forglass art
MovementNorthwest Coast art
Websitehttp://www.prestonsingletary.com
External images
Preston Singletary portrait
"Spawning Salmon" (detail), 2013
"Black Thunder Being Headdress", 2011

Biography

Preston Singletary grew up in the Seattle area listening to stories told by his great-grandparents, who were both full Tlingit.[2] In high school he met and became friends with future glass artist Dante Marioni, son of glass artist Paul Marioni. Shortly after graduating high school, Singletary (who was actively pursuing a career as a musician at the time) was asked by Dante Marioni to work as a night watchman at what was then the Glass Eye, a Seattle glass-blowing studio. Singletary quickly moved from being night watchman to working the day shift to eventually joining one of the studio’s production teams. In 1984, Singletary took part in a workshop at Pilchuck Glass School for the first time. He has since been involved in Pilchuck as a teacher, student, and more recently as a member of its Board of Trustees. Singletary has blown glass around the world in countries such as Sweden, Italy, and Finland. In the late 1980s, Singletary began incorporating traditional Tlingit themes into his work and reaching out to other Northwest Coast Native American artists.[3]

Work
Lightning Snake by Preston Singletary and Dante Marioni in display at the Corning Museum of Glass
Box Drum by Preston Singletary and Dante Marioni in display at the Corning Museum of Glass

Early on, Singletary’s work drew heavily from European glass artworks, especially those done in the Modernist style. Today he is perhaps best known for his use of glass to express and explore traditional Tlingit themes. Many of his works reference clan crests, including the killer whale, which his family claims. Singletary has worked extensively with other native artists creating glass art works such as the Founders Totem Pole (2001)[3] and Devilfish Prow, one of a series created in collaboration with Maori artist Lewis Tamihana Gardiner (2007).[4]

Singletary also plays bass in the band Khu.éex', which features spoken word, Native storytelling, and singing, performed with an experimental approach with rock/funk aspects. The band also performs in traditional regalia and NW coast masks and released their debut album, "The Wilderness Within" in 2016.

Collections

References
  1. Kastner, Caroline, ed. Fusing Traditions: Transformations in Glass by Native American Artists. Museum of Craft and Folk Art, San Francisco.
  2. "Preston Singletary."
  3. Ganglehoff, Bonnie. "Glass Act." Southwest Art.
  4. Museum of Glass, Preston Singletary: Echoes, Fire, and Shadows, exhibition proposal for traveling exhibition.
  5. "Preston Singletary." Traver Gallery (retrieved 10 May 2011)

Bibliography
  • Kastner, Caroline, ed. Fusing Traditions: Transformations in Glass by Native American Artists. Museum of Craft & Folk Art, San Francisco, c. 2002.
  • Ganglehoff, Bonnie, “Glass Act,” Southwest Art, c. 1999, http://www.southwestart.com/article/762%5B%5D
  • Museum of Glass. Preston Singletary: Echoes, Fire, and Shadows," 2009.
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