RELEASED: May 1, 2003

DANVILLE, KY—The Centre College art program will present a series of public events featuring glass artist Richard Royal from Seattle. Considered by many to be one of the studio glass movement's biggest talents, Royal is also known as an innovator in the field.

Royal will be featured at three events at Centre's Jones Visual Arts Center: a public slide lecture on May 8 at 4 p.m. in room 108 and two public glassblowing demonstrations in the Hot Glass Studio (May 8 at 8 p.m. and May 9 at 10 a.m.).

Stephen Rolfe Powell, professor of art and renowned glass artist, comments, "To watch Richard Royal work glass is like seeing a world-renowned musician perform. The fluid movement of his hands will mesmerize both the experienced and novice glass enthusiast. This is truly a unique opportunity to watch one of the leading glass artists in the world."

Royal's works have been described as combining "sensuality, fluidity, and bold abundance to deliver gracefully attenuated pieces that speak of their own elegance and sculptural verticality."

Not only are his pieces visually complex, but they are technically difficult. Royal often uses "challenging color techniques to fade and shift from one color to another."

Royal comments, "I use positive images to relate a theme of growth. The ascending spiral, the vertical lines, and complementary colors reflect the vertical nature of growth and faith. I feel that my work mirrors my creative self and my willingness to grow and change."

Royal, a native of the Northwest, started his studies in glassblowing in 1971. He has worked with some of the best artists in the country including Dale Chihuly, Fritz Dreisbach, William Morris and Benjamin Moore. Royal's work can be found in many top collections around the world from the Mint Museum of Art & Crafts in North Carolina to the IBM Collection in New York City to the Daiichi Museum in Nagoya, Japan.

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