Evan Burnette
Blown Glass
Born in Springfield, Illinois, in 1981, Evan Burnette was introduced to the arts by his father, a professional photographer, and his mother, who was active in the theater. Evan’s stage roles at age 13 won him acclaim from the Illinois Times, which voted him Best Actor in Springfield Under 21.
Evan’s interest then turned to two-dimensional art, which he pursued through much of high school. A fascination with bead glass making evolved into a passion for glass art after a class field trip to the Southern Illinois University (SIU) Mobile Glass-blowing Unit.
After five years in the SIU glass art program, Evan studied at The Glass School Abate Zanetti, in Murano, Italy, under several Venetian glass-blowing masters. With its new Italian influence, Evan’s work won him placement as a finalist in the Rickert Ziebolt Trust Art Competition and in the 2005 Illinois Governor’s Collegiate Art Competition before he graduated from SIU
in 2005.
In 2007, looking for new surroundings and a more vibrant glass art community, Evan moved to Portland, Oregon. Returning to Portland in September 2009 after several months as a glass-blowing demonstrator and lecturer in Skagway, Alaska, Evan launched his own glass company — Local Art Glass. Since 2011, he has also taught public glass-blowing classes in Tigard, Oregon.
Artist’s Statement
“I create because I feel a need to. I have an inner drive to build and fabricate that I cannot fully understand. Through this drive, a soulful energy is released and transformed into something of physical energy in the most beautiful light possible.
What better way to make use of one’s skills than to create objects that can be universally admired for their aesthetic value?
“It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But some works step beyond this boundary, creating a ubiquitous aesthetic that is appreciated intuitively. This is one quality that I strive for when I make art. I want my art to be alive, to have a personality, to be likeable. I want people to want to ‘hang out’ with my art.”
— Evan Burnette
Blown Glass
Born in Springfield, Illinois, in 1981, Evan Burnette was introduced to the arts by his father, a professional photographer, and his mother, who was active in the theater. Evan’s stage roles at age 13 won him acclaim from the Illinois Times, which voted him Best Actor in Springfield Under 21.
Evan’s interest then turned to two-dimensional art, which he pursued through much of high school. A fascination with bead glass making evolved into a passion for glass art after a class field trip to the Southern Illinois University (SIU) Mobile Glass-blowing Unit.
After five years in the SIU glass art program, Evan studied at The Glass School Abate Zanetti, in Murano, Italy, under several Venetian glass-blowing masters. With its new Italian influence, Evan’s work won him placement as a finalist in the Rickert Ziebolt Trust Art Competition and in the 2005 Illinois Governor’s Collegiate Art Competition before he graduated from SIU
in 2005.
In 2007, looking for new surroundings and a more vibrant glass art community, Evan moved to Portland, Oregon. Returning to Portland in September 2009 after several months as a glass-blowing demonstrator and lecturer in Skagway, Alaska, Evan launched his own glass company — Local Art Glass. Since 2011, he has also taught public glass-blowing classes in Tigard, Oregon.
Artist’s Statement
“I create because I feel a need to. I have an inner drive to build and fabricate that I cannot fully understand. Through this drive, a soulful energy is released and transformed into something of physical energy in the most beautiful light possible.
What better way to make use of one’s skills than to create objects that can be universally admired for their aesthetic value?
“It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But some works step beyond this boundary, creating a ubiquitous aesthetic that is appreciated intuitively. This is one quality that I strive for when I make art. I want my art to be alive, to have a personality, to be likeable. I want people to want to ‘hang out’ with my art.”
— Evan Burnette