A Vision in Glass

Ian Gilula and Aaron Frankel came to Portland with a vision.

In 1999 Ian and Aaron hatched a plan: to serve, guide and inspire a fledgling glass-art community. The real question was, “Where?” The turn of the century saw Portland topping “best of” lists in worldwide publications. Restaurants, hotels, rock bands, and civic ideas were winning awards and inspiring copycats. Artists could make a living and livability was off the charts. Add to that the natural beauty and outdoor recreation possibilities within an hour of Portland, and Ian and Aaron had found the new home for the artistic nucleus they were about to build. In 2001 they launched Elements Glass Art Gallery and Studio and became the largest glass blowing facility in Portland. Suddenly there was a place in Portland’s gallery district for local master glass blowers to not only produce and display larger pieces, but also to teach, learn, inspire, and collaborate with the growing local glass art community.