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Lowe Art Museum celebrates the art of glass
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Stanislav Labinski
“Art is a collection of personality,” explains Miami philanthropist and art collector Myrna Palley. “People will say to you, owners get to look like their dogs." Leaning over she continues with a smile, "The collections look like their owners.” Gathering pieces for over 30 years with husband Sheldon Palley, and donating a studio glass collection worth over $3.5 million dollars of more than 300 pieces by over 50 different artists, Myrna Palley knows what she's talking about. “The personality is with the collection. There's no two ways about it.” Now, thanks to Myrna and Sheldon, you too can take a look into these extraordinary personalities.
Considered one of the country’s finest collections of studio glass, the Palley ensemble is now open to the public at University of Miami's Lowe Art Museum. Celebrating the new addition is Lowe Art Museum Director, Brian Dursum. “The Palleys have been at the forefront of the University’s art glass program, which is highly regarded in the art community. This is their passion. We deeply appreciate their generosity and continuing commitment.” Generous indeed. Along with their collection, the Palleys donated a gift of $1.7 million for construction of the new wing and another $1 million to fund an endowment for the glass collection. Why? The Palleys find tremendous knowledge behind each collection and believe that what has been achieved by these artists is now for education. Their tremendous donations open the doors for students, and the public alike, to share in these artistic wonders. A very special thank you to Myrna and Sheldon.
So how did this artistic venture start? According to Sheldon, the Palleys started when they were fairly young. Myrna remembers how they “loaded the kids and the poodle in the car and headed for the street fairs.” It was at that time that Sheldon was really “struck” by glass. He recalls that “what started out as a movement in the seventies turned into an art rather than a craft.” Early artists, and even artists today, like working with glass because of its immediacy. Myrna explains, “It's liquid, it's hot, it's difficult – and it is primarily done in a group, not alone, so it has to be very synchronized.” It is quite amazing to watch.
As the Palleys continued collecting, they became very close to a number of the artists. Many of them were born here in the States between the 1930's and the 1950's and are still among us. This is comforting to Myrna. “It's really great to know the person behind the piece of art. When you see other people's collections, you can point out who owns what.” Works that span the glass movement starting from the seventies to the present include pieces by Harvey Littleton, Daniel Clayman, John Kuhn, Richard Jolley, Michael Glancy, Clifford Rainey, Dante Marioni, Hank Murda Adams, Dale Chihuly, Tom Patti, Lino Tagliapietra, Therman Statum and Stanislav Labinsky, among others.
Myrna continues to say that "glass is an art form that is alive, it reflects and feeds off the environment- especially light.” Staying true to the stunning qualities of glass, the Pavilion is full of luminance, movement, buoyancy and vibrance. Designed by Coral Gables based architect Ronald Mateu, of Mateu Architecture Inc., the light-filled 3,500 square foot exhibit exudes dimension, depth and power - words Myrna uses later to describe one of her favorite pieces. Many of the pieces are suspended in their own capsules, resembling an ethereal space station. Some are showcased as a collection in floating wall units, others are displayed in symmetrical showcases, and others stand on their own floor pedestal - one piece in particular is a large head by Robert Arneson.
The entrance to the Palley Pavilion is through the Pat and Larry Stewart Hall, featuring a site-specific glass installation by renowned international glass artist and UM art faculty member, William Carlson. This is one of Sheldon's favorite pieces. There is also a spectacular chandelier of revolving prisms by Jon Kuhn, which welcomes visitors to the space. The Palleys also wanted to accentuate the colors and depth of each piece, showing each work to the best degree. Eight niches, measuring nine feet square and situated on the south and west facing walls, contain large-scale objects in all three media, and include works by Therman Statom, Rick Beck, Clifford Rainey, Robert Palusky, and former UM art faculty members Christine Federighi, Robert Willson, and Ken Uyemura. No strangers to the University themselves, Myrna received her bachelor’s in education in 1956, and Sheldon received his BBA in 1956, as well as a law degree from UM in 1957. “Myrna and Sheldon Palley are dream alumni,” says UM President Donna E. Shalala. “They give back to share their passion and love for the arts.”
Myrna and Sheldon exude their true love of art as they describe each collection – from the thoughtful work of Clifford Rainey, he does only about a half dozen pieces a year, to the playfulness of Richard Jolley to the powerful work of Tom Patti. Sheldon explains that even though Patti's work may seem small, “you're still looking at something very powerful.” Myrna believes that Stanislav Labinsky was the greatest to work with glass and describes one of his pieces, “Very simplistic, yet full of dimension, depth, power... it's an existing world. You walk around it and see different things. That's what glass is all about – it has a world of its own.” It is truly fascinating.
The Palley Pavilion at the Lowe Art Museum showcases the Palley Collection on a rotating basis and features additional donations in glass, ceramics and fiber. Continuing to buy and collect, the Palleys will take back pieces to enjoy at home as they add new. “A collector collects. It's like breathing. You never tire of living with it, looking at it... you're always looking for the next piece.” Myrna continues, “We never premeditate where we're going to go or what we're going to look for, we just wander and it comes.”
A must see for all, The Lowe Art Museum is open to the public and is located at the University of Miami, 1301 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables. Hours are from 10am to 5pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 12 to 7 pm Thursdays and 12 to 5pm Sundays. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for non-UM students with ID, $5 for adult groups of ten or more, $3 to student groups of ten or more, and free to members, UM students, faculty and staff, and children under age 12.
For more information, please call 305-284-3535, or visit www.lowemuseum.org.
Thank you to Palley Promotes for their resources. Photo used permission Lisa Palley of Palley Promotes/Palley Pavilion
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