John Luebtow: Perfect Investigations of Beauty and Abstraction

John Luebtow: Perfect Investigations of Beauty and Abstraction

July 16, 2026 · 1h 23m · Season 11 · Episode 15

About this episode

The episode features John Gilbert Luebtow discussing his innovative approaches to contemporary glass sculpture.

Over the past 55 plus years, John Gilbert Luebtow has become one of the most respected names in contemporary glass sculpture. Inspired by Friedrich Froebel, the inventor of kindergarten , the artist developed innovative technical processes in glass-making, introducing and incorporating gesture and expressive qualities into impeccably finished sculptural components. A student of Harvey Littleton, Mark Peiser and others, Luebtow explored blown, cast, and fused glass, as well as other techniques. Lois Lambert Gallery, Santa Monica, California, presented Retrospective – From 1972 to 2023 , a recent exhibition of work by 82-year-old Luebtow. Lambert wrote: "Luebtow has been creating art for over 55 years, specializing in kiln formed glass, and has become one of the most important names in contemporary glass sculpture. He is most known for his innovation in the technical processes of working with glass, developing his own methods and even building his own tools for creating large-scale glass sculptures and installations up to 25 feet tall. At the heart of Luebtow's artistic philosophy is a curiosity about the processes of creation and a commitment to forging something entirely new…

People in this episode

Host: Shawn Waggoner

Guest: John Gilbert Luebtow

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lois Lambert Gallery

Places: Santa Monica, California

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