- We're at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass in Neenah,
delving into this delicate art.
[bright string music]
I met up with Executive Director Amy Moorefield
to explore how the museum is working
to make glass art accessible for all.
- Amy Moorefield: We provide extraordinary glass activities
to spark fun, kindle creativity, and illuminate learning for all.
- I love that, 'cause when you think of glass as an art form,
you don't typically think of necessarily fun,
and then the "all" part.
- Amy: So, we are an admission-free institution,
and our founder, Evangeline Bergstrom
and John Nelson Bergstrom, wanted that.
That was a mandate.
It's part of our founding documents.
We reenvisioned our mission about three years ago.
We really wanted to have an outward approach
to feel more welcoming, which is a really big charge,
is to have people come in the door.
It's a little bit challenging for parents
when they make that decision,
whether they want kids in, because it's, you know,
we hear a lot, "Hands at your sides,
hands at your sides!" [Angela chuckles]
Glasswork is all about kind of equality,
and, you know, it's a democratic approach in how it's made,
and it's one of the oldest art forms in the world.
We just want people to feel a little bit more ease
to come to the museum. - Angela: I love that.
So you have child-friendly activities
that still involve glass.
So tell us about some of the feedback that you've gotten
from community members who come to visit the museum.
- It's not unusual to hear,
"We've never known that this glass museum existed."
Our institution's been around since 1959,
so there's lots of families who say,
"Oh, I remember going on a field trip here
or taking art classes here."
And so, that sense of kind of community pride and nostalgia
is something that we really relish here at the museum.
- Angela: We left the gallery space
for a look into the archives, which was full of surprises.
Oh, wow!
And it's glowing 'cause it's radioactive?
- Amy: Correct.
- Angela: Then I headed to Art Activity Day,
which is held once a month
and invites guests to create their own glass art.
I sat down with Taylor who manages the studio here
to try my hand at this fragile art form.
- Taylor Moeller-Roy: We're gonna make
some butterflies today. - Angela: Mm-hmm.
- We have different wings cut out here.
We have different, like, sheet glass here,
which are awesome.
Different pieces you can use to decorate your wings.
So they're symmetrical. - Angela: Mm-hmm.
We also have stringers here that I like to break and use.
- Angela: Got it.
As I'm doing this, I'm recognizing
I have not done anything artistic
since, I don't know, elementary school.
[both laugh]
The last time that I used glue for anything
is elementary school.
So I feel like it is beneficial, right,
to have this type of experience.
- Taylor: That's kind of the best part about things like this
is we try to give people the skills to work with glass,
but we try to keep everything as flexible as possible
so that everyone can feel welcome and at home here.
- I love that. - Even if they don't feel like
they have a lot of artistic experience.
- Absolutely, and maybe they're tapping into something
that they didn't know they had, artistically speaking.
- Taylor: Yeah, absolutely.
That's my favorite feedback, is when people say,
"I love to bring my family here."
People who I see come back month after month for Art Activity Day
'cause it's their favorite day of the month.
- I don't think I've ever done glass art before.
So, you've checked a box off of my bucket list
that I didn't know was there until today.
- Awesome. - It's been added and completed.
So, thank you so much, Taylor. [laughs]
- Taylor: Yeah, happy to!
[playful music]