Mountain Works Gallery

"Everything that I do in the studio is the result of a dialogue...a dialogue between me and the materials at my disposal. Sometimes we speak the same language and carry on a great conversation, but other times we disagree about everything. I could easily dictate the direction of our discourse, but that wouldn't allow the media's participation, resulting in boredom for everyone. The works that you see here are the fruits of our discussion." --F. Edward Russell, 2004

Glassblower Ed Russell of Mountain Lake Glassworks is based out of Tracy City, Tennessee. In a shop holding glassblowing equipment that he built himself, he utilizes techniques developed in the traditions of Venetian and Swedish glassblowing. Ed's work is very process-oriented and very recognizable. Ed's glass works tend toward asymetry and draw from the spontenaity of organic forms ranging from microscopic to large mammalian and plant life, and their movement.