Toots Zynsky Untitled Colorful Filet-de-Verre Handblown Glass Vessel

Artist: Mary Ann "Toots" Zynsky
Title: Untitled (Multicolor)
Medium: Hand-Blown Glass
Dimensions: 9.75" x 19" x 10"
Date: c. 2000-2010
Inscription: Signed "Z" on the bottom
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity from Modern Artifact

Untitled (Multicolor) is a sculptural glass vessel by American artist Mary Ann "Toots" Zynsky, whose practice is distinguished by an extensive investigation of color, light, and the expressive possibilities of glass. Measuring 9 3/4 × 19 × 10 inches, the work takes the form of a broad, shallow bowl with an irregular, undulating rim. Its expansive horizontal profile contrasts with the concentrated point at which the vessel gathers toward its base.

The surface is animated by vertically oriented bands of color that extend from the base toward the rim. Predominantly cool tones of blue, ice blue, green, and turquoise are interspersed with narrower passages of warmer red and pink, producing a layered chromatic effect. The directional movement of the color emphasizes the vessel's curved structure, while variations in opacity and translucency allow the colors to appear to shift with the light.

Zynsky's approach to glass frequently treats color as an integral structural element rather than a surface embellishment. Here, the repeated vertical striations create both rhythm and visual depth, while the asymmetrical rim gives the otherwise unified form an organic quality. The relationship between the vessel's controlled geometry and its irregular contour reflects Zynsky's broader interest in combining rigorous material processes with forms that evoke natural growth and movement.

The work is signed "Z" on the underside and is accompanied by a Gallery Certificate of Authenticity from Modern Artifact.

About Toots Zynsky

Toots Zynsky (born 1951) is an American contemporary artist best known for her sculptural glass vessels and innovative approach to color. A significant figure in the American studio glass movement, Zynsky developed a distinctive technique known as filet-de-verre, or woven glass, which has become central to her artistic practice.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Zynsky studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and began working with glass during the formative years of the studio glass movement. Her technique involves gathering thousands of fine glass threads, arranging them into bundles according to color, and fusing them together before shaping the resulting material into sculptural forms. The process produces intricate surfaces in which individual threads remain visible, creating a sense of movement and depth.

Zynsky's glass sculptures are characterized by vibrant color, complex patterning, organic contours, and highly developed surface textures. Her work often draws visual associations with natural forms while remaining firmly rooted in an exploration of material and process. She has exhibited internationally, and her artwork is held in prominent museum collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Corning Museum of Glass.

In 2005, Zynsky was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in recognition of her artistic achievements. Her work continues to be exhibited and collected internationally, establishing Toots Zynsky as a significant figure in contemporary glass sculpture.