Cool Hunting

For several years, glass artist Beth Lipman has been reinterpreting classical still life painting with her carefully constructed assemblages of glass objects. An artistic practice that emerged in 17th century Europe, still life painting represented not only a formal and technical evolution in the medium, but a distillation of the political, moral and religious values of both artist and patron. By transforming the still life into glass, Lipman not only pays homage to this centuries-old artistic form but suggests that along with the objects those principles it sought to convey are intangible.

Recently, the artist collaborated with Steuben Glass to create Still Life, a lustrous collection that harnesses the manufacturer's unrivaled crystal. She writes in the introduction to her collection, "...with Steuben's crystal, the sparkle, clarity and absence of color make it possible to capture in glass the very essence of the object being depicted, offering a counterpoint to the trompe l'oeil of still life painting."

Still Life consists of the Grand Collection (above, click image for detail), a thirty piece sculpture offered in a limited edition of five for $38,000 each; Collection II (top right), an eight-piece sculpture offered in a limited edition of 25 for $14,500 each; and, for those who wish to create a still life of their own choosing, an assortment of fruits and leaves priced between $550 and $6,200.

Interested parties can order through Steuben's website or their New York flagship.