By Louise Irvine

The WMODA museum collection continues to grow with generous donations and bequests. Our most recent acquisition from Arthur Wiener is a spectacular glass bowl over two feet in diameter by James Nowak, a brilliant artist in Seattle, Washington, the center of the studio glass movement.

James Nowak was born in Wisconsin in 1956 and his family moved to Mercer Island in Washington state when he was six. He was already a keen painter, working with oils and pastels from a young age. In high school, he discovered the potential of clay and later taught ceramics at a local community center.

Nowak studied mechanical engineering at the University of Washington, and after graduating in 1981, he worked for the US Navy as an assistant nuclear engineer aboard submarines. At night, he conducted tests on reactor components, and during the day, he pursued his passion for art, studying at the Pratt School of Fine Arts in Seattle. At the Pilchuck Glass School in Washington, he was greatly influenced by Dale Chihuly and gained the confidence to establish his own glassblowing studio.

Working with Chihuly, Nowak learned the team approach to glass blowing. In his words, “A coordinated glass team is poetry in motion. Like a well-choreographed dance, each person has their part.” During his career, Nowak has worked with many talented artists in Seattle, including William Morris and Dante Marioni, who greatly enriched his understanding of glass.

Nowak combines traditional Murano techniques, using murrine and filigrana canes, with newly developed processes, including dichroic glass. Many of his aquatic forms are inspired by the raw grandeur of the Pacific Northwest and his underwater experiences with the US Navy.

Every piece is designed, hand-formed and signed by Nowak. “With my signature comes my vision and takes a little part of me with it.” James Nowak.