Filming Therman Statom

In November, the Craft in America crew visited glass artist Therman Statom in Omaha, Nebraska. Though Statom’s primary medium is sheet glass, he also uses blown glass objects to create sculptures. Statom is most well known for his glass houses and ladders.

Therman Statom
Filming Statom’s glass house
Inside one of Statom’s glass houses
Filming Statom working in his studio
Statom’s glass ladders
Statom’s wall piece featuring Bessie Coleman, the first African-American pilot
Work by Statom
Work by Statom

In Statom’s words, he feels that he is “part advocate, part artist… teaching is the highest form of advocacy you could do.” Statom works with a local preschool and uses craft to teach Native American culture. Here he works with the children to create a medicine wheel, taking impressions of their hands to cast in glass and place in the medicine wheel benches.

Students drawing
Students work on their medicine wheel projects with Therman Statom
Children press their hands into clay to create an impression

Statom also works with local high school students below at Hot Shops glass studios. The students got to experience glassblowing firsthand as well as create their own glass house.

Statom talks about the glass houses to high school students
Statom assists a student making a glass bubble
Statom with the high school students