Linda creates each and every form - from the collar or the links to the distinctive jewels themselves. Some of the processes she uses are evident in her award winning Primavera necklace…. casting with rubber molds for both the gold links and the setting for the diamond detail as well as for creating the glass jewels.
Read MoreUnconventional Marterials Unconventional Scale /
Linda has always been fearless where materials are concerned. She is never one to conform nor one to shy away away from trying something new. Although her work is mostly on an intricate scale this does not deter her from exploring materials normally used at industrial sizes. Her passion for color and light is the driver of her exploration and has led her to different under-explored materials like Vitrolite (plate glass) and Granite. In 1985 after New Hampshire declared Granite their state rock and became “The Granite State" she introduced granite into her work.
Read MoreMacNeil’s Geometric Forms in 2021 /
In my most recent work, the Neck Collar Series in particular, the overall form is very geometric with strong symmetry. I have introduced a softer touch which is brought out in the round forms and by varying of the textures of the glass.
Read MoreMacNeil and Color in 2021 /
Most recently, I have been gravitating towards reds and oranges. Also, my choice of 24k gold plating on the metal is making a rich color contrast with the glass. Pantone's orange ochre is one of the colors of Spring/Summer fashion in 2021. I particularly liked its appearance in the Valentino Spring/Summer Couture show in Rome…
Read MoreDefying Gravity /
The entire form of each necklace is engineered to be functional and yet keep it’s shape on the body. For instance my necklaces can have a rigid form like the Neck Collar series, or a necklace can be flexible like the Floral, Lucent Lines and Elements Series but I rarely allow gravity to decide its form on the body.
Read MoreMacNeil in 2021 /
I work on several pieces simultaneously. Each at different stages in development. I am currently working on a Neck Collar with a glass collar. This is a new direction this series has taken recently and there are up to about seven people involved in the processes needed to make one of these pieces.
Read MoreThe Art of Pattern /
Patterns have been part of the vocabulary of art since ancient Egypt. Which pattern artists of today do you admire? MACNEIL: There are several. Of my contemporaries I admire Linda Threadgill (she works in metal), Yayoy Kasuma (she works with color, light and space), and younger artists, Sarah Moris (paint/mural artist) and Sarrita King (painter). From mid century modern I like the work of Anni Albers (print and textiles).
Read MoreMacNeil on Glass, Part 1 - Vintage and Modern /
Q: What types of glass do you use the most?
MACNEIL: PLATE GLASS. Plate glass is the type of medium I use the most because as an artist I like to be in control of both form and color and because the forms I make are precise. I use both vintage and contemporary plate glass. Today’s industrial plate glass has great clarity and comes in reliable measurements and vintage plate glass comes in different thicknesses and in unusual, opaque colors, both are great for use in my designs. I use them in combination with each other as well as independently.
Read MoreMacNeil on Glass, Part 4 - Color and Why Red Costs More /
Q: Where does glass get its color from and why is red glass more expensive than any other color?
MACNEIL: It’s perhaps not very well known that colored glass is achieved by using oxidized metals to create the color within the glass. Historically many different elements were experimented with, but over time only the ones created with metals maintained their color intensity in all situations including direct sunlight. A prime example where the capacity to hold color is critical are the stained glass windows in churches, mosques, synagogues and cathedrals. They were positioned to get the most light possible throughout the day and the richness of the color was vital to their aesthetic.
Read MoreMacNeil on Glass, Part 5 - Mixing Opacity and Playing with Light /
Q: Why do you mix opacities in your work?
The play of light and how it reflects and refracts through glass fascinates me. That is actually one of my favorite characteristics of glass. First, I focus on determining the form, but thereafter, being able to manipulate color and change how much a jewel interacts with light is probably one of the most enjoyable parts of my process. The possibilities presented by these properties are endless.
Read MoreThe Documenta Project /
Mary Van Cline is a Seattle-based artist working in glass and mixed media. She has received much attention for her sculpture that combines hot and cold glass processes, cast glass elements, photo-sensitized glass, and her haunting and enigmatic photographs. Van Cline’s most recent project, which began in 2017, is an ongoing series of nearly life-size portrait photographs that she calls the Documenta Project. The Documenta Project is meant to capture, preserve, and make visible the personalities – including artists, collectors, curators, critics, suppliers, and gallerists – who have created an international and close-knit community around the practice, teaching, marketing, and collecting of contemporary studio glass. The Documenta portraits, captured on black and white film using a Hasselblad camera and a large-format digital Phase One camera from Denmark, are true collaborations between Van Cline and her subjects, who she almost always knows well. A project that Van Cline hopes to continue into the next decade, her photographs are notable for their honesty, humor, and grace. For more information, https://urbanglass.org/glass/the-documenta-project.
Read More2020 Saul Bell Design Award Announcement /
Linda MacNeil, “Primavera” Wins First Place
Category: Metals/Alternative Materials.
To say the least, Linda MacNeil’s winning necklace, “Primavera”, as well as her entire body of work, is breath-taking. What makes her designs so special is that she focuses on a material most people don’t pay attention to… glass! She creates one-of-a-kind pieces in her New Hampshire gallery alongside her husband, renowned glass artist, Dan Dailey. Linda’s necklace is a perfect example of her fine craftsmanship and exceptional vision.
—Saul Bell Awards
Read the in depth interview with Linda MacNeil.
The Saul Bell Design Awards has produced a winners video featuring the 2020 winners, their works, interview clips and insights into their artistic process. To watch the video click the button below.