Gene Kocis raises the following thought provoking questions.
1. Why do we want to be recognized by the art world?
2. Where do we want to display things and why?
3. What kind of recognition do we need from museums?
4. Do we know of any museum that is interested in mounting a retrospect of Carder glass?
5. Are the member interested in sharing their pieces with the public.
6. Is there a model for another art form?
7. How many major retrospect’s of Carder Glass has CMOG mounted in the past 40 years – other
than the Rockwell Collection?
8. Other than a bunch of people collecting glass, what else would we be and why would we want to be it?

Gene, now that you’ve set the stage let me see if I can’t address some of the issues you raise from my personal perspective. I’ll leave it to others to respond from their perspectives.
We all come to the table for a large variety of reasons. However, the common thread that binds this wide variety of purposes is our mutual appreciation for the artistic skills captured by Frederick Carder. Is it his use of classical shapes? The creation and use of color? The new glass types and techniques created? The richness and quality of the pieces? The capture of so many stylistic period changes? The vast variety of his creations? I think the answer is all of those things that when combined make his work typically recognizable and identifiable as his work. e.g. when I go to an antique show and walk the run way his pieces typically just stand out to my eye separate and apart of other glass artists. I suspect most Carder collectors share this common experience. Next, I enjoy the work of Mr. Carder and want to share it and spread the word. I find few people know who Mr. Carder is, recognize his work and most probably haven’t seen art glass; certainly not Mr. Carder’s. Museums serve purposes of preserving the past. Recognizing the best of artistic skills and help the public to understand and recognize good taste. Now I’m sure this is a weak definition of the purpose of museums, and I’m sure some will step forward and correct and add to this. Next, I can tell you that having seen the Rockwell collection at the Rockwell Museum put fire in my belly. That’s what museums and exhibits can do. I left there trying to tell the world I had discovered and recognized a great artist. Few people were moved or knew what I was talking about. So next, I tried to get our local museum which has an unusually rich fine arts collection to do an exhibit. I think our museum director mirrors what is usually the case. A closed door. Lack of interest. Finally, a major contributor suggested an exhibit would be in order and it was begrudgingly arranged.
Well, the show opened. In the setting of a museum with its great lighting and professional
curatorial staff a stunning exhibit took place. Thousands saw the work of Frederick Carder. The public was stunned. They had never seen anything like it. They got excited. Someone saw me crossing the street at a stop light. He jumped out of his car in the middle of traffic to tell me how he was so taken with the exhibit. It’s been two years now and almost weekly I am stopped, questioned and receive expressions of how impressed they were with the exhibit. People came back for multiple views. The due recognition of one of the world’s best glass maker has been duly enhanced. If this can happen in Evansville, Indiana it can happen anywhere. If you want to see pictures of the exhibit go to:
HTTP://www.flickr.com/photos/cardersteubenclub/sets/72157602441509509/
Because of the success and impact of this exhibit we’ve talked to directors of several regional museums. One, in particular, was a former curator from a glass museum. You can guess the response. No interest. The decorative arts, at least with the name Frederick Carder, just don’t create the excitement it deserves. I guess, Gene, I feel I have stumbled on a great collectible. But, unfortunately not known well enough. I feel it should get its due. That doesn’t mean anyone has to be uppity, as some have suggested because they would like museum acceptability. It just means that when people see Carder’s work they get excited. However, the opportunities for people to see it are few and far between. The place people go to find the best of collectibles or look for credibility of collectibles is at museums. So, Gene, these are my reasons. Good, bad, right or wrong, I feel passionately that we are temporary custodians of this wonderful glass, and glass style that withstands the test of time. We have a duty to not only pass it on, but create tomorrow’s collectors. As Frederick Carder was fond of saying, “Life is short, art is long”.