Dean Bressler

Over the past 40 years, Dean’s passion for creating glass art has blossomed alongside a successful career as a creative director in marketing. This unique journey has been marked by a harmonious blend of artistic fervor and professional creativity. While excelling in the dynamic world of marketing, Dean continually nurtured a deep-seated love for glass art, dedicating countless hours to mastering the craft. The intricate beauty and transformative nature of glass captivated their imagination, inspiring an ever-growing dedication to the medium. Balancing the demands of a high-paced career with the meticulous artistry of glasswork, Dean has evolved into a seasoned glass artist, whose creations are a testament to a lifelong passion and an unrelenting pursuit of creative excellence.

Dean graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a bachelors degree in fine art.

Colorful contemplation #1.

This multi-layered glass artwork is a striking fusion of abstraction and vibrant color. At its heart lies an abstract line drawing of a face. The minimalist, fluid lines capture the essence, providing a focal point that draws the viewer in. Surrounding this central portrait are numerous circular pieces of colorful glass, each meticulously arranged to create a dynamic and harmonious composition. These vibrant circles, in varying sizes and hues, add depth and movement, their translucent quality allowing light to dance through the layers, casting an ever-changing array of colors and shadows. The interplay of the abstract face with the kaleidoscope of surrounding glass circles results in a mesmerizing piece that is both visually captivating and emotionally evocative.

Materials

Multi-layered fused glass face using colored frit and powders.

Aluminum frame with LED lighting.

Cast concrete base.

The execution

Each layer of glass contains a different part of the portrait created with glass powders. Colored beads were added to each layer to provide depth to the final image.

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It’s complicated #1

This striking artwork features a kiln-cast glass face rendered in the distinctive Cubist style. The face, composed of angular and fragmented planes, showcases multiple perspectives simultaneously, capturing the complexity and dynamism inherent in Cubism. The translucent glass enhances the geometric features, creating a play of light and shadow that adds depth and intrigue to the piece.

Surrounding this Cubist face is a meticulously crafted slumped glass piece depicting a dense thicket of thorns. The thorns, with their intricate twists and turns, form a protective and somewhat menacing barrier around the central visage. The texture and form of the slumped glass capture the wild, untamed nature of the thicket, contrasting sharply with the ordered chaos of the Cubist face.

Together, these elements create a powerful visual narrative: the thorny barrier suggesting both protection and entrapment, while the Cubist face represents the multifaceted nature of identity and perception. The interplay between the abstract and the natural forms invites viewers to contemplate themes of inner complexity and external challenges.

Materials

Glass fit cast cubist style face

Wood base.

LED back lighting in between the two cast glass faces.

Slumped and fused glass side panels.

The Execution

Two cast glass faces created from clear glass grit and blue glass powders. Each face is supported by a metal armature with an LED light between them providing a subtle illumination of the sculptural piece. The faces are flanked on both sides by a slumped piece of glass containing a thicket of thorns created using black glass powder and small pieces of colored glass to create the thorns.

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Circle in a square

A woven circle of red and yellow glass surrounded by a woven section of white inset in a square of opaque black.

Materials

Two fused and drop slumped glass pieces.

Hardwood central support.

LED back lighting in between the two glass pieces.

Black marble base.

The Execution

Two drop slumped pieces of glass supported by a central hardwood ring.

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Additional Work

Quick thumbnail views of additional artwork. For more detailed information on any of the pieces shown, feel free to contact me.