American Art Glass Bowl, by Engebretson and Nielson

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Description

This striking vessel is an Engebretson and Nielsen art glass bowl featuring a dense pattern of cobalt blue, almond-shaped cells … Read more This striking vessel is an Engebretson and Nielsen art glass bowl featuring a dense pattern of cobalt blue, almond-shaped cells resembling leaves, grains of rice or even a school of fish. As seen from the top-down perspective, these cells are arranged in a precise, sweeping vortex that creates a hypnotic spiral toward the center, giving the piece a sense of continuous kinetic motion.
The bowl is the work of James "Jim" Engebretson and Renée Nielsen Engebretson, a prominent husband-and-wife team of American contemporary studio glass artists based in western Wisconsin.
The bowl exhibits the couple’s exact vessel construction. It features a rich, solid cobalt blue glass layer on the inside, completely encased by a thick, clear glass exterior shell.
Nielsen's distinct technique involves hand-cutting designs into tape applied to the glass and using sandblasting to etch away the unprotected areas. This is what creates the frosted white texture on the exterior wall, carving through the layers to leave the inner blue glass exposed. The resulting organic, swirling "rhythmic pattern" from the top-down view mimics natural movement, like a whirlpool, school of fish, or field of grain, which defines their structural themes.
Operating collaboratively under the name Engebretson and Nielsen, they are highly regarded figures within the midwestern regional lineage of the American Studio Glass Movement. The duo possesses an extensive pedagogical background under some of the most influential founders of modern glassblowing. Jim Engebretson began his career in the Midwest learning from Doug Johnson, a direct student of Harvey Littleton (the "father" of studio glass). He expanded his mastery out east by training directly under world-renowned glass master Dale Chihuly.
Together, the couple pursued formal studies at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and the University of Wisconsin–River Falls (UWRF). Jim eventually returned to UWRF, where he took over leadership of the university's glass program, becoming an influential teacher and mentor to a new generation of glass artists.
Their collaborative art glass is highly sought after by collectors of late-20th and 21st-century American studio glass. They showcase their pieces at major national art circuits, including the Saint Louis Art Fair, and their work is featured in permanent institutional collections like the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA). Items originating from their studio are universally hand-signed by the artists on the base, typically featuring a variation of "Engebretson/Nielsen".
Signature/Maker’s Mark: Nonexistent. See less