Art of Glass and Ceramics at The Baker Museum

Inspired in part by what they experienced at the inaugural exhibition of Dale Chihuly masterpieces while visiting The Baker Museum in 2000, Laurence and Rita Sibrack made the decision to retire to Naples. Twenty-five years later, they gifted the museum they have come to love and appreciate with a valuable selection of contemporary glass and ceramic works. Their transformational gift consists of 74 works by 60 renowned artists  embracing  myriad processes, significantly expanding the museum’s holdings in contemporary studio glass and ceramic works.

“Rita and I share a passion for collecting art that has contributed to our love for living with it,” says Laurence. “Our decision to donate our collection to this museum, in particular, was a natural evolution of our cultural commitment to the museum and to Artis—Naples.”

“The Passion of Collecting: Stories in Glass and Ceramics from the Sibrack Collection” opened January 10 at The Baker Museum; the exhibition will remain on view through the fall. On February 6, a studio glass expert, Ferdinand Hampson, will share a short history of studio glass, including the movement’s early struggles for acceptance, in an afternoon lecture at the Sharon and Timothy Ubben Signature Event Space at The Baker Museum, referencing individual works from the Sibrack collection. Tickets are $25 and include same-day admission to the museum.