Jesse Whipkey Works

Jesse Whipkey have always been interested in the visual arts. As a young child he started with drawing and painting as well as sculpting in clay. In 1997 he came across a flame working studio in Tucson, Arizona and his relationship with glass began. After about a year, he was on his own working in a series of small workshops. In 2001, he ended up back in his hometown of Hopkinton Massachusetts. While working in his studio, he was approached by the owner of a scientific glass company in Waltham called GFI. For the next five years he worked for them half of the time learning to make and repair various laboratory apparatus. The lessons he learned from that experience greatly enhanced his understanding of glass. Working from schematic drawings and adhering to tight tolerances was a perfect fit with his desire for symmetry and balance in his work.

"Glass is my chosen medium since, in my mind, no other substance can capture the essence of light, or embody the elegance of curvature and form in such a dramatic way. Beyond that, I am not very comfortable with the concept of an "artist statement" for myself. I find them to be a bit disingenuous most of the time. Since I am a lamp worker and not a word smith, I will let my work be my statement."