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Ries spent the next two years under the mentorship of
Littleton. Ries's interest in glass's optical properties grew, and began carving cold glass instead of blowing hot glass. Tools to sculpt large blocks of glass weren't available at the time, so Ries independently developed much of the equipment he
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to pursue a
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ceramics. He soon became more interested in the glass used to glaze pottery than the pottery itself. In order to explore glass as a medium for artistic expression, he built what became The Ohio State University's first glass studio and served as its first
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Contemporary critics have noted Ries's unique ability to exploit glass's optical properties for artistic expression. James Yood, professor of contemporary art theory and criticism at
Northwestern University, called Ries's work “an art of such suggestiveness and finesse, of ceaseless transition and
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Ries's sculptures are noted for their changing internal optical compositions and technical proficiency. Ries's primary medium is clear lead crystal, a glass with an unusually high refractive index, extreme light transmission in the visual range, and outstanding homogeneity. These qualities enable
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Ries himself characterizes his work as a “vessel for light,” noting that “all that we know about the universe, the composition of the stars, and the distances within the universe is studied through light...It is the one medium that gathers, focuses, amplifies, transmits, filters, diffuses and
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Ries begins with large blocks of optical glass and reduces them to the desired form by cutting, carving, grinding, and polishing them. His larger sculptures are taken from source material that can weigh over 4,000 pounds, and the process of reducing and polishing can take as much as a year.
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was at the time of its creation the world's largest monolithic glass sculpture. It weighs nearly 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms) and was sculpted from a 3,000 pounds (1,400 kilograms) block of glass. One of Ries's most famous works, the 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms)
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Ries's relationship with Schott continued until a fire destroyed his on-site studio on 3 March 2015. Production of large Ries studio work has ceased and is not expected to resume. His private studio in
Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania is still operational.
317:, including the Corning Museum of Glass, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the National Heisey Glass Museum, the National Liberty Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Tampa Museum of Art. Among the awards and honors he has received are the:
213:, which he has used to explore concepts in glass and occasionally other media including wood and paint. Most of the masterworks Ries produced at the Schott facility were modeled after forms created at his private studio.
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After graduating the
University of Wisconsin–Madison, Ries spent several years searching for the ideal glass to be used in sculpture. Ries's search ended when he discovered the lead crystal manufactured by
206:. Ries accepted the distinction and in 1986 signed an agreement which allowed him to work within the Duryea facility. He created a body of work which Schott and Ries co-produced and co-owned.
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It is the one medium that gathers, focuses, amplifies, transmits, filters, diffuses and reflects it. It is the quintessential medium for light. I see it all on a symbolic level.
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Briggs, Richard. "Windows to a View: The Work of Glass
Sculptor Christopher Ries," WVIA-TV, Northeastern Pennsylvania Public Television, Scranton, PA (November 1993).
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As Ries's technique developed, Dr. Franz Herkt, president of Schott
Optical, invited Ries to work with the company as an independent contractor with the title
852:"Wilkes-Barre, news, sports, obituaries, and classifieds for Luzerne County and Scranton | The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton PA – www.timesleader.com"
676:"Wilkes-Barre, news, sports, obituaries, and classifieds for Luzerne County and Scranton | The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton PA – www.timesleader.com"
646:"Wilkes-Barre, news, sports, obituaries, and classifieds for Luzerne County and Scranton | The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton PA – www.timesleader.com"
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needed during his spare time. He graduated the
University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1978 with a master's degree in fine arts and returned to Columbus.
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instructor. Ries spent the next several years blowing glass and investigating glass types, chemical compositions, and properties.
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surprise that it constitutes one of the most intriguing exercises in the poetics of optics anywhere in contemporary art.”
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Ries's works have won numerous awards and are exhibited in major collections and museums throughout the United States,
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Paine, Janice T. "Clearly
Inspired: Contemporary Glass and its Origins," American Craft (October/November 1999).
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Ries's work includes the largest non-assembled glass forms in existence, and is collected in museums worldwide.
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Waggoner, Shawn. "The Fourth
Dimension: The Art Glass of Christopher Ries," Glass Art (November/December 1996).
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Christopher Ries was born to florists Raymond and Mildred Ries and was raised in a log cabin on a farm near
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During his senior year at The Ohio State University, Ries attended a guest lecture given by
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reflects it. It is the quintessential medium for light. I see it all on a symbolic level.”
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Kapelke, Steven. "Focus: Christopher Ries," American Craft (December 1996/January 1997).
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took four months to anneal and required a further 1,800 estimated hours to carve.
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195:(now Schott North America). For the next two years he regularly travelled to
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1990 Ohioana Citation for Distinguished Service to Ohio in the Field of Art
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He lives with four of his children, Banks, Chase, Catherine and Caroline.
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1978–79 Aid to Individual Artists Fellowship, Ohio Arts Council
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Ries to create the optical effects found within his work.
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Christopher Ries with father Raymond at his childhood home
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Christopher Ries with Ed Rendell during installation of
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Ries with raw block of optical crystal at Schott Optical
152:. As a young adult he expressed an interest in art and
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rather than using traditional hot techniques such as
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73:Misericordia University, Doctor of Humane Letters
882:"Christopher Ries: Sculptor In Four Dimensions"
760:"Christopher Ries: Sculptor in Four Dimensions"
731:"Christopher Ries: Sculptor In Four Dimensions"
706:"Focus on the Founder: Harvey Littleton – AACG"
321:2010 Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree,
16:American glass artist and sculptor (born 1952)
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937:Gallery of Christopher Ries Glass Sculptures
837:"Crystal Clear | Articles | Ohio Magazine"
209:Ries also established a private studio in
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972:People from Wyoming County, Pennsylvania
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788:"Schott Glass Facility Fire Aftermath"
305:at the Pennsylvania Governor's mansion
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521:Port Columbus International Airport
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357:1974–75 Leo Yassenoff Scholarship
601:Worland, Gayle (31 March 2012).
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69:University of Wisconsin, Madison
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982:21st-century American sculptors
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173:University of Wisconsin–Madison
90:http://www.christopherries.com/
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403:University of Central Florida
967:Ohio State University alumni
514:Riverside Medical Hospital,
341:Distinguished Artist Award,
287:Ries with Embrace at Schott
159:In 1971 he matriculated to
100:(born 1952) is an American
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538:American Ceramic Society,
485:Museum of American Glass,
419:Indianapolis Museum of Art
347:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
337:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
625:www.mydaytondailynews.com
435:New Orleans Museum of Art
211:Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania
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856:archives.timesleader.com
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889:Debbie Tarsitano Studio
767:Debbie Tarsitano Studio
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607:Wisconsin State Journal
561:National Liberty Museum
499:Corning Museum of Glass
333:National Liberty Museum
323:Misericordia University
962:American glass artists
932:Christopher Ries' site
578:Governor's residence,
530:Columbus Museum of Art
343:University of the Arts
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378:University of Arizona
362:Permanent collections
331:2005 Artist as Hero,
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161:Ohio State University
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64:Ohio State University
545:Toledo Museum of Art
327:Dallas, Pennsylvania
197:Duryea, Pennsylvania
880:Tarsitano, Debbie.
850:Leader, The Times.
758:Tarsitano, Debbie.
729:Tarsitano, Debbie.
674:Leader, The Times.
644:Leader, The Times.
472:Lannan Foundation,
394:Tampa Museum of Art
204:Artist in Residence
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466:Wilford Gallery,
293:Awards and honors
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540:Westerville
451:Mayo Clinic
439:New Orleans
52:Nationality
946:Categories
866:2016-02-06
822:2016-01-29
798:2016-02-06
715:2016-01-30
690:2016-01-29
660:2016-01-29
630:2016-01-24
588:References
580:Harrisburg
481:New Jersey
462:New Mexico
136:Early life
487:Millville
455:Rochester
446:Minnesota
430:Louisiana
275:Sunflower
131:Biography
81:Glass art
60:Education
792:WNEP.com
574:Scranton
534:Columbus
525:Columbus
516:Columbus
494:New York
474:Santa Fe
468:Santa Fe
154:ceramics
106:sculptor
503:Corning
414:Indiana
407:Orlando
389:Florida
373:Arizona
262:Gallery
241:Ries's
221:Artwork
118:molding
114:blowing
86:Website
549:Toledo
382:Tucson
313:, and
311:Europe
303:Spring
186:Career
71:, MFA
66:, BFA
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315:Japan
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243:Opus
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