Amber Cowan

Art Brokerage: Amber Cowan American Glass Artist: Amber Cowan is an artist and educator working out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Originally from York, Pennsylvania, Amber first started working with glass at Salisbury University in Maryland where she received her BFA in 3-Dimensional Design with a concentration in glass. In 2011 Amber received her MFA in Ceramics/Glass from Tyler School of Art at Temple University. Before returning to graduate school she lived in New York City for many years where she worked as an instructor of glassblowing and flamework at One Sixty Glass and Urban Glass in Brooklyn. She has taught alongside and been the teaching assistant to many prolific artists including Paul J. Stankard, Gianni Toso, Michiko Sakano, and Lucio Bubacco. Amber was recently awarded the 2012 International Procter Fellowship at The Australian National University, The Steve Stormer Award from Temple University and participated as a resident at The Toledo Museum of Art for the Toledo Workshop Revisited Residency. Amber was a lecturing artist at the 2011 International Flameworking Conference at Salem Community College. Her lecture included information on the current state of flameworking in the university system, and she demonstrated flameworking using recycled cullet. Cowan refers to her current pieces as 'reconstructions.' She makes them by re-working vintage white milk glass tableware made in the Colony Harvest pattern, which she collects. The tableware was produced from Harvest pattern molds by the Indiana Glass Factory, a reputable American pressed glass manufacturer in existence from 1907-2002. Since they were a trademark of the Lancaster Colony Corporation, they were referred to as 'Colony Harvest.' Generally considered an 'affordable American luxury,' Colony Harvest was a very popular line and remained in production from the 1950-1980's. The primary method of acquiring the Colony Harvest wares was through S&H Green Stamps, a rewards and return system based on grocery store spending. She is currently a faculty member of the glass department at Tyler School of Art and her work is represented by Heller Gallery in New York City. Listings wanted.