Email: info@annklem.com
Web: https://www.annklem.com/

Bio:

Ann Klem is irresistibly drawn to glass. Living and working just outside Louisville, KY, she transforms this material into both functional and sculptural works using kilns and cold-working tools. A self-confessed tool junkie, she delights in the precision and experimentation her process demands. Before glass claimed her full attention, Ann spent years in the corporate world of information technology—a past life that now fuels her appreciation for creativity and hands-on craftsmanship.
Ann has studied at Corning Museum of Glass, Pilchuck Glass School, and Penland School of Craft. Her work has been featured in major exhibitions such as the Smithsonian Craft Show, Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, and American Craft Made Shows in Atlanta, Baltimore, and St. Paul. She lives in Fisherville, Kentucky, with her gelato-making husband and a trio of watchful guard cats.

Artist Statement:

Glass—it’s always about the glass. Whether folded, laminated, or cast, my work begins and ends with this extraordinary material.I draw inspiration from science fiction, black holes, and the mysterious processes of nature. Sustainability is central to my practice. I recycle glass whenever possible and remain mindful of energy conservation in the studio.

Some works begin with the construction of a solid “block of glass,” created by laminating individual pieces together. Others, take shape in the kiln, where molten glass flows into molds made of plaster or newer technologies like 3D printing. The process continues through cold-working, where I cut, grind, and polish with air- and water-powered tools. It is a labor-intensive stage—one that creates buckets of sludge but also reveals luminous surfaces, deep translucence, and matte textures. Out of this demanding process, the glass itself emerges transformed: solid yet fluid, ancient yet futuristic.