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Creative Minds

Amber Cowan

The Philadelphia sculptor repurposes random pieces of American pressed glass into intricate monochromatic works of art

By Ashley Petras
Intricate pink wall art composed of various textured materials forming floral and ornamental patterns in a rectangular frame.
Amber Cowan, *Dance of the Pacific Coast Highway at Sunset*, 2019. Photo: Constance Mensh

Woman in blue dress stands beside purple floral wall sculptures
Amber Cowan. Constance Mensh

“Glass is definitely not the most forgiving material,” says Philadelphia sculptor Amber Cowan, who creates elaborate monochromatic works from repurposed scraps of American pressed glass that she sources from donations, thrift stores, and inoperative factories. Her process changes with each piece—sometimes it’s a particular color that strikes her; occasionally, she dives right into flame-working the material, heating the glass in a kiln before melting and shaping it with a torch and bonsai shears.

A recent finalist for the New York Museum of Arts and Design’s prestigious Burke Prize, she will next present her wondrous creations in a summer show at the Sandwich Glass Museum in Massachusetts, followed by a group exhibition at R & Company in the fall. “My work looks very fragile, but the construction of it is strong,” she says. “Luckily, if one small component breaks, I can just throw it back in the kiln and re-form it.”

Recommended: 3 Fascinating New York Exhibitions Focusing on Craft

Green ceramic art piece with intricate floral patterns and central vase featuring detailed plant and leaf motifs.
Amber Cowan, Snail Passing Through the Garden of Inanna, 2019. Constance Mensh

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2020 Spring Issue under the headline Creative Minds. Subscribe to the magazine.