In addition to previous e-mails on the influence of Frederick Carder on the
studio glass movement as it relates to Harvey Littleton, who is often consider
the father of the Studio Glass Movement, you may want to take a look at page
180 of Frederick Carder & Steuben Glass by Thomas P. Dimitroff. This gives a
nice summarization of the influence Mr. Carder has had on the current Studio
Glass Movement. All of these sources might be summarized as follows:

1. Harvey Littleton had a lifelong acquaintanceship with his neighbor Frederick
Carder in Corning, NY.
2. In the 1930s after Frederick Carder was moved up and out of running the
Steuben Glass factory he was provided with a small studio at Corning, Inc. where
he did pioneering work in casting glass by the cire perdue method.
3. In that studio Frederick Carder built a small furnace and, in essence, since the 1930s could be properly categorized as a studio glass artist.
4. When Mr. Carder was in his 90s, in the late 50s Harvey Littleton visiting with
Mr. Carder in his studio and presumably was strongly influenced by what Mr. Carder had done in his studio.
5. In the early 60s Harvey Littleton founded the studio glass movement along with Dominick Labino.

In the many texts touching on the work of Frederick Carder his importance is traditionally
expressed in the accumulation of his many contributions. First, the creation of an American icon, the Steuben Glass company, with highest standard of craftsmanship that exists to this day. The creation, from raw chemicals, of over 140 colors. The creation of a long list of glass types, including Aurene, Cluthra, Cintra, Florentia, Ivrene, Moresque, Intarsia and Cire Perdue, and more.
The design of over 7,000 shapes of vessels; primarily classically based, with influences of the Chinese, Egyptians, Romans, etc. and the best of historical classical designs. Yet, all the time Mr. Carder was responding to the changing taste and style of the day, and conquering design of all time periods and styles, unmatched by any others. The question could well be asked, based on this test of time, which American glass artist had the range and dimension to match up to Carder? Yet, all of these texts overlook another important dimension of Frederick Carder. We’ve been touching on it in recent e-mails identifying Mr. Carder’s neighbor, Harvey Littleton, attributed to be the founder of the studio art movement. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that in 1932 Mr. Carder was assigned a small studio at Corning Glass where he developed a small furnace and became a studio artist ( a precursor to today’s studio art movement) where he proceeded to develop the cire perdue process. Not only did Mr. Littleton know his neighbor Mr. Carder, but we now know he visited his studio prior to beginning his work at the Toledo Museum.
In the early 60s Harvey Littleton founded the studio glass movement along with Dominick Labino. (which consisted of a “hot glass” workshop which was held at the Toledo Museum of Art in the grounds keepers lawn equipment shed.) per David Donaldson

A note from Debbie Tarsitano, a paperweight glass artist,. from Westford, Mass.
about F. Carder as a studio glass artist.

Interesting gazette, It is amazing how things get started. It takes person who can envision a new future, when everyone else is taking the same old path.
In paperweights everyone forgets how Charles Kaziun started a home studio in Brocton MA at the same time as Harvey Littleton. Charlie was responsible for reviving the paperweight field a and creating contemporary designs for the future. He was very much like Harvey. Like Harvey, Charlie let other artists know it could be done. My first studio was in a garage on long Island I knew I could do it because of their success. I made most of my work on a card table in the 1970’s.
Today I am much like Charlie and Harvey, am trying to reinvent earlier techniques from paperweights to create innovative sculptures and other artworks. I am using many techniques reinvented for small studios by Charles Kaziun and Harvey. They led the way with equipment to do so.
So I give Harvey and Dominick and Charlie a lot of credit. The new ideas aren’t always accepted. Harvey and Dominick pushed through a lot of tough experimentation. I am sure many people did not know what to make of what they were doing. I think that is the same for me right now. Where would most studio glass artists be today without Mr. Carder and his first small studio? It is nice that your group acknowledges the facts about how all of this started. It is very important.
Thank you for bringing this up to the group.
Debbie Tarsitano
Tarsitano Studio
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