Therman Statom facts for kids

Therman Statom is an American artist who creates amazing sculptures using glass. He is known for working with flat sheets of glass, which he cuts, paints, and puts together. He also adds other glass objects he finds. Many of his artworks are very big! Sometimes, his glass creations are so huge that they make visitors feel tiny. He even uses sound and projected images to make his art more exciting.

Early Life and Learning About Art

Therman Statom was born in Winter Haven, Florida in 1953. He grew up in Washington, D.C. His father was a doctor. When he was a child, he became friends with Cady Noland. Her father, Kenneth Noland, was a famous painter.

Young Therman once told Kenneth Noland, "I can paint like that too!" Therman says that Kenneth Noland inspired him to become an artist.

Studying Glass Art

In 1971, Therman started learning about glass art. He went to Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington. Later, he studied sculpture at Rhode Island School of Design. He earned his first degree there in 1974.

He then went to Pratt Institute School of Art and Design. He earned his master's degree in 1978. At Pratt, he started working with flat glass sheets. This was because the school did not have equipment for hot glass work.

In the early 1980s, Therman was invited to the University of California at Los Angeles. He visited their hot glass program. From 1983 to 1985, he led this program.

Art Shows and Exhibitions

Therman Statom has been a professional artist for over 25 years. His art has been shown in many big museums across the United States.

Recent Art Shows

Some of his recent solo shows include:

• Lowe Museum at the University of Miami in Florida.
• Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia.
• Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio.

His art has also been shown in other countries. These places include Stockholm, Sweden; Paris, France; Hokkaido, Japan; and Ensenada, Mexico.

Public Art Projects

Therman Statom has created many artworks for public places. These are called public commissions. You can find his art in many places across the United States.

• Chandeliers / Natural, Technological, Ethereal at the Central Library in Los Angeles, California.
• An untitled artwork at the Tom Bradley Terminal, Los Angeles International Airport, California.
• An artwork at the Ice Center in San Jose, California.
• Art for Harrah's Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Art for the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Scottsdale, Arizona.
• An artwork for the New York State Arts Commission in New York.

Awards and Recognitions

Therman Statom has received many awards for his art.

• In 2008, he received an Outstanding Achievement Award from UrbanGlass.
• In 2006, he received a Distinguished Artist Award from the James Renwick Alliance.
• He received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1988 and 1982.
• In 1997, he received a grant from the Ford Foundation.
• He became a Fellow of the American Craft Council in 1999.
• In 2015, he was named a United States Artists Fellow. This award included $50,000. This organization helps artists who are creative and innovative.

Where You Can See His Art

Many public art collections in the United States own Therman Statom's work.

Art in the United States

Some places where you can find his art include:

• Metropolitan Community College-Elkhorn Valley Campus, Nebraska
• Art Museum of West Virginia University, West Virginia
• California African-American Museum, California
• Cincinnati Art Museum
• City of Seattle, Washington
• Corning Museum of Glass, New York
• Detroit Institute of Arts, Michigan
• High Museum of Art, Georgia
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California
• Milwaukee Art Museum
• Mint Museum of Craft + Design, North Carolina
• National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, Ohio
• Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian's American Art Museum, Washington D.C.
• Vero Beach Museum of Art
• Skirball Cultural Center, California

Art Around the World

His art is also in collections overseas:

• Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, France
• Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts in Lausanne, Switzerland
• Collections in Moscow, Russia
• Collections in Maputo, Mozambique (through a U.S. Department of State program called Art in Embassies)