LUSTROUS presents more than 40 examples of exception art glass designed by Frederick Carder and drawn from the permanent collections of the Rockwell Museum of Western Art and the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York,  This is the first extensive exhibition of Carder's work outside of Corning.

Frederick Carder (1863-1963) was one of the most creative glass designers of the twentieth century. During his long and illustrious career, Carder created an array of forms, devised numerous decorative techniques and formulated new glass colors. His pioneering work and vibrant artistic expression are unparalleled by any other American glass artisan and continue to impact contemporary art glass production.

Born in England, Carder began his career at age 18.  In 1903 he moved to Corning (New York) where he became the director of the newly established Steuben Glass Works, a position he held until 1933.  Suring his tenure at Steuben, Carder introduced elaborate colored glasses and innovative techniques for decorating glass.  By 1904 Steuben was producing gold iridescent glass, which Carder called Aurene, and the following year he added Blue Aurene to the line.  Within three years the offerings from Steuben's studios grew to include goods with a variety of applied and tooled decorations leading to the firms' artistic and financial success.

In the following decades, Carder expanded the art glass offered by Steuben, adding numerous colors and types of glass including Mandarin Yellow, a nearly opaque color; Calcite, an iridescent white; and Cintra, which had powdered color and bubble patterns within the glass.  Steuben also produced unusual forms, such as organic-looking vases and lighting fixtures that capitalized on the radiant qualities of iridescent glass.

World War I brought major changes to Steuben.  In 1918, the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Corning Glass Works, as it remains today.  Carder maintained his position as managing director and continued to develop new colors and techniques through the 1920s.