This glass vessel by Albert Joseph Young Jr. (American, 1951–2025) reflects the artist’s long-standing engagement with studio glass as both sculptural form and expressive surface. Young was part of the post-1960s American studio glass movement, a generation that pushed glass beyond utilitarian production into a fully realized fine art medium. His work was shown in regional and national exhibitions and collected by institutions and private collectors interested in contemporary glass that emphasizes craftsmanship alongside personal visual language.
The vessel’s broad, low profile is executed in softly tinted translucent glass, creating a sense of weight and stability while allowing light to pass through the form. Encircling the shoulder are delicately applied trailing lines in lavender and vivid orange, punctuated by a raised red glass node that introduces both color contrast and tactile focus. These applied elements orbit the form with an almost kinetic energy, suggesting motion and rhythm while remaining carefully controlled within the vessel’s symmetrical structure. Signed A. Young '83
While grounded in traditional glassblowing techniques, the piece moves beyond function into the realm of sculptural object. The restrained palette of cool glass tones set against bold linear accents highlights Young’s sensitivity to balance, proportion, and surface interaction. This work exemplifies his ability to merge technical fluency with playful, contemporary detail, resulting in a vessel that reads simultaneously as an object of utility, design, and independent artistic expression.
