Allegra Marquart

In the mid 1980’s a series of life changing events led to a great admiration of stories, songs, poems, and fables. In realizing these graphic images on glass Allegra Marquart drew from her background as a printmaker. The high contrast, limited color and emphasis on shape were all in place as large complicated relief prints on long scroll-like paper panels.

In 2001, for reasons now forgotten, a friend suggested she try using glass for her images. That idea resonated so deeply that within weeks, Allegra was exploring the possibilities of sandblasting on glass and within months was finding out about sand-cast glass with Paul Marioni at Pilchuck. Since then she has also worked at Corning and Penland. At Washington Glass School she learned about dry plaster casting and fusing. She continues to rely on their valuable advice and their facilities, especially for large projects.

Sandblasting into panels fused with color has become the best way for Allegra to achieve the detail and precision she wants for her narrative interpretations of the stories, songs, poems, and fables that have fascinated her for the past several years.

Now in retirement from years of teaching printmaking at Maryland Institute College of Art, the development of images is an ongoing process knit into the daily routines involved in maintaining house and garden in a leafy Baltimore neighborhood.