Opportunity Trap

The twelve graceful arcs that make up the sculpture Opportunity Trap bear witness to the strange wonder that is inherent in glass. Though cooled and static, the arcs continue to communicate the dynamism and rhythmic energy the artist harnessed and guided as he constructed the work. The purity of color, the grace and simplicity of form place Littleton’s work firmly in the artistic currents of the period. Though sleek and smooth, the tension that is evident in the frozen loops engages the emotions of the viewer. The interplay of the solid surface of the glass and the light it captures internally showcases the visual effect that Littleton, like glass makers throughout history, sought to exploit. Opportunity Trap, completed in 1970, stands as a fitting demonstration of Littleton’s leadership role in moving glass art from the exclusive realm of the factory into the studios of individual artist.

Harvey Littleton, the acknowledge father of the contemporary studio glass movement in the United States, saw potential for artists to penetrate beyond what is commonplace to create new form statements from qualities inherent in the material.