Don Hartman (b. 1942) is an American glass artist and educator, recognized for his contributions to the studio glass movement through his
innovative sculptural work and his dedication to art education. Hartman’s artistic practice is an exploration of material duality—the contrast between the industrial and
the organic, the rigid and the fluid, the found and the fabricated.
Hartman began his artistic journey in Industrial Design at the University of Illinois. While there, a student exhibition of glass art from the University of Wisconsin inspired
him to shift his focus from the theoretical to the tangible. This new direction led him to study directly under Harvey Littleton, the founder of the American studio glass movement,
at the University of Wisconsin. This formative period coincided with a time when most glass artists were focused on traditional vessels, and Hartman's early decision to create glass sculpture positioned him as a unique voice in the field.
His signature work often integrates obsolete industrial parts sourced from scrapyards—valves, pipes, and other
"found objects." He uses metal and steel, choosing a shiny surface for its reflective similarity to glass and extreme contrast in form. The chrome pieces,
in particular, were influenced by space industry technologies, incorporating plating, first with smoked chrome
and then black. The contrast between these mechanical parts and the fluid form of glass—which, as a super-cooled liquid, is always in motion—is central to his work.
His sculptures are often viewed as strange, oddly purposed machines where the glass pours through or emerges from the found objects. He also experimented with techniques like sand casting, pressing these objects into sand to create molds for the glass. The resulting sculptures, often made with black
glass and treated with chemicals, evoke a sense of ancient decay, as if they have been unearthed artifacts from a long-lost civilization. His Pylon series, for example, draws on
the ancient form of the pyramid, but with a modern sensibility that incorporates 20th-century debris like circuit boards, likening their patterns to a form of primitive, technological language.
Throughout his career, Hartman's artistic exploration evolved through distinct series. His early Tube series utilized blown
glass with chrome-plated cylinders, followed by the Spence series, which featured poured glass combined with machine parts,
chrome, and plated steel. He then explored the compatibility of materials in his LA series, constricting blown glass with copper
bands to create forms that swell between the metal constraints. Both the Santa Monica series and Pylon series drew on primitive forms,
blending sand-cast glass with circuit boards and copper. He also used this technique to create masks with distorted, warrior-like faces.
In addition to his sculptural series, Hartman consistently returned to the
form of the vessel throughout his career, creating glass vases and mugs
that often incorporated copper and other materials.
Hartman’s sculptures have been exhibited internationally in countries such
as France, Germany, and Japan, and at prestigious institutions including
the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Oakland Museum, the
Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles, and the Corning Museum of
Glass.
In addition to his studio work, Hartman is a highly influential educator. He was a key figure in building
and sustaining prominent glass programs across Southern California. He helped establish the first glass program
at UCLA. At El Camino College, he initiated the first glass lab and taught its inaugural class. Afterwards, Hartman headed the glass program at USC for thirteen years. His long and
distinguished career at Santa Monica College spanned 45 years. During this time, he built the glass studio from
the ground up and developed and ran a comprehensive glass program for 26 years. This program became the largest
and most sought-after in the Los Angeles area, pioneering a self-funding model that ensured its longevity.
Today, his legacy continues through the thriving program he passed on to glass artist, Terri Bromberg, and
through the many students he inspired.
