Brian Brenno

I began working with hand blown glass hats in college as almost a mistake. I quickly realized the power the hat shape had to evoke strong associations, memories and feelings that everyone can understand. My series of glass hats evolved from an interest in human interaction with familiar objects. Hats offer me an opportunity to explore the challenges of glass blowing and our relationship with everyday objects, such as hats, seen in a new light.

I was first introduced to glass blowing in 1981 while attending a stained glass class at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, WA. I was hooked and have been involved with blown glass since. In 1985 I received a BFA degree from California College of Arts and Crafts. For the next nine years I worked for Dale Chihuly on his glass blowing team. During this time I had the opportunity to work with some of the best glass artist in the world. In 1997 I built a glass blowing studio in my grandfather’s old auto repair shop