Artist Statement I'm fascinated by the endless variety of shapes and colors found in nature, and in orchids in particular. At the same time, I find myself frustrated by their ephemeral nature; how rare and fleeting they are. I think this is why I've always been drawn to realism in my work; to the challenge of working to capture a complex, ever-changing living thing in an unchanging form. Lampworked glass is particularly suited to this. The fluidity of the process allows the piece to keep evolving; each time I reproduce a given flower it becomes more realistic as my understanding of it grows more fully. Through repetition certain parts of the form become comfortable and familiar, allowing me to see something new, some part more accurately with each rendition. Each piece, then, is more than a copy; it represents a moment in my "relationship" with that flower Flameworked glass artist Margaret Neher recreates and preserves forever the fleeting beauty found in nature. Working over an open flame, she translates the fragile delicacy of orchids, wildlife and everyday fruits into lasting art objects that capture more than a mere realistic rendition of an everyday item. In a process far less forgiving than a brush on canvas, Neher brings life, vibrant color, realistic detail and sculptural beauty to each of her pieces. Neher began working with stained and etched glass in 1984, and spent several years making kaleidoscopes. Drawn to lampwork in 1991, she soon devoted herself exclusively to this centuries-old tradition in which glass rods and tubing are melted over a 3000-degree flame, and then handworked into detailed sculptural forms. No molds are used, and no two pieces are identical. Nine-time NICHE Award finalist and two-time winner, she is best known for her detailed botanicals, sold in shops and galleries throughout the country. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, and on the "Carol Duvall Show." She makes her home in Ithaca, NY. 1993-Present Margaret Neher/Flameworked Glass Ithaca, NY Lampworker Wholesale and retail production of lampworked glass jewelry, ornaments and scent bottles, and goblets. 1985-1994 Crystal Images Ithaca, NY Owner/Operator Commissioned and wholesale stained and etched glass; windows, giftware and kaleidoscopes. 1984-1984 Lumiere Glasswork Studio Ithaca, NY Assistant Manager Stained glass production, restoration and sales SELECTED EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS 2004 NICHE Award Award; lampwork NICHE Magazine Baltimore, MD 2003 ???Eternal Orchids??? Group Show Mostly Glass Gallery Englewood, NJ 2003 ??? The Eclectic Goblet??? Group Show Carson Masuoka Gallery Denver, CO 2003 ???The Eclectic Goblet??? Group Show Craft Alliance St. Louis, MO 2002 ???Celebrate the Glass Flowers!??? Group Show Harvard Museum of Natural History Boston, MA 2001-2004 NICHE Award Entry Finalist NICHE Magazine Baltimore, MD 2001 ???Orchid??? Solo Show 15 Steps Gallery Ithaca, NY 2000 Jewels and Scents; Art Jewelry and Perfume Bottles Group Show Mostly Glass Gallery Englewood, NJ 1999 Cool Women, Hot Glass/ Hot Women, Cool Glass