Jerry Hovanec

Jerry Hovanec was originally a potter, but he switched to glassblowing when a friend told him that his pots were "boring." He embarked on an intensive four-year program of study at a number of different schools, beginning in 1980 with the Penland School of Crafts, where he studied with the renowned glass artist Fritz Dreisbach. During the week, Hovanec works as a museum artwork installation coordinator here at the American Art Museum, but on weekends he can be found in the studio he shares with his wife and collaborator, Ruthann Renee Uithol, in Lusby, Maryland. Working together, their blown-glass pieces have gained worldwide exposure as part of the U.S. Department of State's Art in Embassies program.