Kent Kahlen American Glass Artist

"I started out in a different direction. I was on my way to becoming a chiropractor, then I happened on glass blowing. Glass was one of those pesky art electives you must take in order to get your degree. Let's just say I fell in love with the molten stuff immediately! I abandoned the idea of being a doctor and went for something I was passionate about, GLASS. That was in 1988 and I haven't looked back ever since. There is nothing simple about the glass blowing process. Something can go wrong at any stage in its production from melting the sand to putting the finished piece in the oven. This challenge is what has kept my interest for all the years I have been making glass. When I stop challenging myself with new ideas and techniques that will be the day I move on." Kent Kahlen

                  

  I first met Kent many years ago at the prestigious Laguna Beach Festival of the arts. The committee thaqt juries the Art Festival, which is also the site of the "Pageant of the Masters" is well known for being very particular, and it is quite an honor to be accepted to the show. Kent has done the show more times than I can count, and for good reason , his work is extraordinarily special. Kent has done other art shows in his many years of glass blowing, and he enjoys the interaction of the many people who truly love, and appreciate art, but his true love is in creating. Like all artists he is happiest when he can plan a piece and create it. Having seem and made many perfume bottles Kent asked himself "what can I do that is different?" The answer was the anti bottle. This is a bottle shape but not a vessel. The open space which you see is not a chamber, but is a hole.  It is truly a sculpture, and has proven to be very popular.

• 
• 
• 

          Anti Bottle  Ruby                Anti Bottle  Yellow               Anti Bottle Green

 

   After many years of creating his art Kent decided that he needed a change in his designs.

With this thought he created his Archeological Collection. This includes sculptures, vases, and of course his anti bottles.

                       

 Archeological Rock Sculpture   Anti Bottle Archeological Collection 

                           

                                      
                                        Blue Pokie Vase

 Kent's latest collection is what he calls ROCKS. These are solid glass with a powder finish, and a translucent band of color. The bottom allows light to be transmitted up through the center illuminating the colored band.                            

                                                               
                                       

           
        Orange Rock                        Blue Rock

                                                                                    

 Sometimes Kent reaches out  for inspiration and the result can be ingenious. This is the case with his Plumb Bob. The sculpture is created with hand forged steel and blown glass in the  encalmo technique. The sculpture stands 39 1/2" tall.

                                                                                                                                                                                      Plumb Bob

 

  kENT'S WORK MAKES WONDERFUL GIFTS, AS WELL AS A SPECIAL WORK OF ART FOR YOUR HOME. I am proud to say that we have a wonderful collection of Kent's work in our Santa Monica, CA. gallery.  adammsgallery.com