Tim Soluna and Anjali Singh, two local glass artists, met several years ago at the Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Now work partners and life partners, both can be found at the Morean Glass Studio where Tim works as Studio Manager and Anjali teaches Advanced Independent Studies.

Although their bodies of work are created separately in the Studio, both have a love for pattern and color. Anjali’s murrini vessels mimic Indian matkas, traditional pottery vessels that Indian women would balance on their heads to carry water. The patterns on her work are both a nod to Indian textile patterns as well as the movement and color of water.

Tim’s platters and vessels are created using a method called reticello, a type of blown glass made with canes organized in a crisscross pattern to form a fine net, which may contain tiny air traps.  He has developed a double “flower” in his latest body of work, which he dubbed “Infinicello” because of its similarity to the infinity symbol.

To see more of Tim and Anjali’s work, and to view more original glass art by local artists, please visit our Glass Studio, located behind the Morean Arts Center. All artwork in this exhibition and at the Glass Studio is for sale, with proceeds benefiting our working artists as well as the Morean’s educational programs.

About Anjali Singh

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Anjali Singh received her BFA with a concentration in glass from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 2016. During her time there, she received the Windgate Foundation Research Award and was a Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award Finalist in her thesis year. In furthering her glass education, Anjali had taken many workshops from Ethan Stern, David Schnuckel, and Stine Bistrup. In addition, she has worked at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York state before working at the Lincoln City Glass Center in Oregon.

Anjali’s passion for glass started immediately after seeing the material for the first time. She was struck with curiosity. She continues to focus on the technical skills involved in glassblowing.

“My work is an exploration of myself; searching and discovering what appeals to me. The simplicity of life is a commodity I want to hold on to. Vessel making in glass is important to me because wanting to make meaning out of glass is fulfilling as well as learning all the techniques.

About teaching at the Morean, Anjali says, “Something I grew up with was meditation. As a child, my parents and I would practice breathing/meditation exercises every morning. The exercises were uncomplicated, for example how to control one’s breathing, but it forced me to take a step back from life and focus on the present. I seem to be drawn to things that take me back to a time like that: simpler.

“I see many similarities in teaching as well. Glass has forced me to take a breath and empty everything else from my mind and to focus on one thing. I love teaching and showing my students this simplistic way of seeing the hot glass as I do.”

About Tim Soluna

Tim Soluna was born in Carbondale, Illinois in 1985, where he developed an interest in the arts at an early age. He began working with molten glass at the age of 17 and fell in love with the unique medium. He is captivated by the material’s transformation from solid to liquid and the complex dance of the glassblowing process. After high school, he attended Southern Illinois University and received a scholarship to attend Pilchuck Glass School summer intensive. In 2010, he graduated from SIU with a BFA specializing in glass art. Since graduation, he has worked in glass studios in Illinois, Oregon, and Florida. Tim became the Morean Glass Studio Manager in 2020.

“I have always been fascinated with history. As I became interested in glassworking, the history of glass became a constant area of study. This curiosity has informed my own creations as an artist. I like the idea of being a part of a craft tradition which was developed over generations, and simultaneously part of a fine art community which strives to create the avant garde. I use cane techniques like filigrano, zanfirico, and reticello frequently, but try to use them in new ways, constantly trying to make my mark on the history of glass that fascinates me so.”

About teaching at the Morean, Tim says, “I also see the importance of teaching in maintaining this tradition of glassworking. I’ve talked to old Venetian glass maestros about how few people they see learning glassworking in the modern era. This craft is important to preserve and the only way to do so is by passing on the passion and dedication I have for the craft to the next generation. Seeing my students learn and grow is extremely fulfilling, and teaching has been important in my personal journey as well. Teaching helps the teacher learn new lessons, lessons they could have never found by themselves. Everyone experiences and interacts with molten glass differently; seeing new students as they begin to develop a relationship with the medium has shown me approaches I never would have guessed. It’s always exciting to teach and learn and continue shaping this part of history that we share.”