Intern Pick: Oregon Purple Plum (2000), Joey Kirkpatrick and Flora Mace
Written by Sophia Plancich
November 6, 2024
Oregon Purple Plum by Joey Kirkpatrick and Flora Mace is a vibrant, handblown glass sculpture in the Myrna and Sheldon Palley Pavilion for Contemporary Glass and Studio Arts, and is part of a collection of glass fruits by the artists. Made from handblown glass and colored with crushed glass powders, this piece is visually captivating, offering viewers of all ages a playful, sensory experience. There’s a childlike joy in seeing something as simple as a piece of fruit reimagined through vivid glass art—a refreshing take on the mundane made extraordinary.
Kirkpatrick and Mace’s series of large, glass-blown fruit sculptures explores themes of abundance, nature, and life’s rhythms. Each fruit symbolizes fulfillment and the beauty of simplicity, crafted with meticulous technique. Using crushed glass powders rather than traditional glass rods, the artists achieve an incredible level of realism, saturating each piece with natural, vibrant colors that bring their glass fruits to life. As their understanding of this medium deepened over time, their sculptures evolved, resulting in pieces that feel delicate yet dynamic.
Rather than using traditional pigment rods, Kirkpatrick likens working with crushed glass powders to having “a watercolor set.” This unorthodox technique allows for a fluid, creative process that produces beautifully vibrant, lifelike fruits. I admire the innovation in their artistry and the delightful, tactile results that continue to capture the imaginations of viewers.
The process of glass art is complex, balancing science and precision. The temperature, technique, and composition all must align to create pieces as delicate and striking as these glass fruits. The resulting artworks are not only visually delightful but carry a wholesome, almost playful quality, juxtaposing the simplicity of fruit with the meticulous science behind glassblowing.
Kirkpatrick and Mace began working with glass in the late 1980s, just as the studio glass art movement was gaining traction in the U.S. They met in 1979 at the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington, and have collaborated ever since. Their joint career as female artists in the male-dominated field of studio glass art is both impressive and pioneering. Together, they’ve expanded the possibilities of the medium, bringing a unique sense of freedom to their practice.
References:
Reynolds, M. (2020) Object of the Week: “Greengage Plum”. Tacoma Art Museum
https://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/tamblog-object-of-the-week-greengage-plum/
“Joey Kirkpatrick / Flora Mace” (n.d.) http://www.kirkpatrick-mace.com/Fruit/Fruit.html
“Oregon Purple Plum” (n.d.) University of Miami Lowe Art Museum
https://emuseum.as.miami.edu/objects/27441/oregon-purple-plum?ctx=fb6a7a381adc06952b01c88397dc325f11b8a2d5&idx=0
