One of three Penland Benefit Auction featured artists, Dan Friday is a Seattle-based glass artist and a member of the Lummi Nation. For twenty-five years, he has made his own work and has worked with other prominent glass artists, including Dale Chihuly, Paul Marioni, and Preston Singletary.

The themes and images in Dan’s work are often drawn from his Coast Salish culture, which he also credits with his initial attraction to art making. “Creativity was fostered in me by my family from an early age,” he says. “Living without TV and knowing the rich cultural heritage of the Lummi Nation meant that making things with our hands was a regular activity.”

Dan has taught at Penland, Pilchuck, Haystack and other schools, and he has had numerous residencies, including at the Museum of Glass (Tacoma, WA), the Corning Museum (NY), and the Dream Community (Taipei, Taiwan). His work has been exhibited at the Bellevue Art Museum (WA) and in multiple exhibitions at Stonington Gallery (Seattle) and Blue Rain Gallery (Santa Fe).

This exciting Dan Friday piece will be featured in the 39th Annual Penland Benefit Auction:

Dan Friday
Aunt Fran’s Woven Basket
Blown glass
9½ x 8¾ x 8¾ inches

Original video by Ian Lewis, edited by Lu Kania, music by Nauxjonkeith.