Dan Friday
Glassblower
Sedro-Woolley, WA, USA
Recommended by American Craft Council
Ancestral narratives in vessels of light
- Dan works with Venetian glass techniques to materialise Indigenous stories
- He comes from a long line of artists from the Lummi Nation
- The Salish Sea is deep a influence on his work
The images and themes in Dan Friday’s glassblown works are often drawn from his Indigenous Coast Salish heritage. "As a Lummi tribal member based in Skagit Valley, Washington, I see glass as a way to bring permanence to my ancestral stories," he says. Salmon, bears, owls and finishing practices make frequent appearances in Dan's work. He developed his craft by spending years working for master glass artists such as Dale Chihuly, Paul Marioni and Preston Singletary, and has since taught at the University of Washington, Pilchuck Glass School, the Haystack Craft Center and The Studio. Dan has held numerous residencies, and his creations appear in galleries and collections around the world. His work was featured in the Netflix series Blown Away in 2022.
INTERVIEW
The first time I entered a glass studio, I was immediately drawn to the dynamic process. The flames from the equipment and the team's constant activity seemed like the perfect environment for me. I find glass sculptures to be vessels of light, which really appeals to me.
I come from a long line of artists, so I have been making things from a very young age. The rich cultural heritage of the Lummi Nation and the Salish Sea are deep influences on my work.
While relatively new for my community, glass has thousands of years of documented history. I use Venetian glassworking techniques to tell Coast Salish stories, which have traditionally been passed along orally. Telling the stories of my people in glass brings me great pleasure.
About 12 years into glassblowing, I visited my Aunt Fran, a master Coast Salish weaver. I was grappling with the idea of creating work without a university degree. She said, 'I do not have a degree, and my work is in the Smithsonian. You do not need someone’s permission to make your work. We do things our way.'
