'Bird Rattle', 1997

A California native and graduate of California State University, William Morris (b. 1957) enrolled at the Pilchuck Glass School in 1978. Although he launched his career as Dale Chihuly’s head gaffer, William Morris’ body of work is vastly different from that of his friend and former colleague. Morris is best known for his pieces which visually emulate historical artifacts. The artist wanted to model his work after archeological objects, because in them he saw insight into the relationship between human civilization and nature. In the past few decades, these pieces have caught the eye of collectors and institutions alike, in great part because of Morris’ ability to toy with the intrinsic qualities of glass. In other words, Morris is best able to evoke the natural, the man-made, and that which sits at the intersection of the two, since he makes glass which closely mimics many other materials. His 2006 show at the Bellevue Art Museum titled “Native Species” contained 38 works of glass, which present exactly like different materials such as ceramic and bone. The general consensus today is that Morris’ canopic jars like the one above (1994) – which visually mimic ancient Egyptian funerary vessels – serve as the best example of how his unique process allowed him to transform glass into something that appears to be a wholly different substance. It comes as no surprise that his work is held in esteemed collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; however, viewers may be surprised when they see it on display among contemporary works instead of amidst ancient relics. A lover of nature, Morris retired from glassmaking in 2007, and now spends his days hunting, climbing, and fishing in the Pacific Northwest.