Featured Artist: Spooner Marcus

Newly represented by Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, NM, Spooner Marcus' studio glass pieces blend tradition with boundless experimentation. Beginning his glassblowing career in 1993, he quickly developed a deep connection to the craft, finding profound catharsis and creative flow in the process. For Marcus, glassblowing offers endless opportunities for exploration, a driving force that has shaped his artistic journey.

Initially working as a production glassblower, Spooner found fulfillment in repetition, sustained by his love for the craft itself. However, after his first job ended, he began to explore new possibilities and ambitions. During this period of reflection, he recognized the potential to draw inspiration from the ceramic traditions of his Pueblo, envisioning a fusion of glass and ceramic aesthetics.

It wasn’t until four years later that he returned to working with hot glass, marking a pivotal moment in his development as an artist. His time at Taos Glass Arts and Prairie Dog Glass, alongside other native glass artists, allowed him to bring to life the ideas that had been gestating during his hiatus. This period marked a transition toward viewing glass as a form of artistic expression.

Over the years, Spooner’s work has continued to evolve, often inspired by traditional ceramic vessels. His aesthetic has ranged from symmetry to asymmetry, from defined forms to abstraction. Presently, his work seeks to capture the essence of his environment in a way reminiscent of an impressionist artist. Inspired by the deserts, flora, fauna, and landscapes that surround him, his creations evoke a sense of nostalgia for a past that is rapidly disappearing from our collective memory.