The initial impetus for creating my current body of work, ‘Rust Never Sleeps’, was to come up with a way that I could combine my education in steel fabrication and woodworking, other than using both wood and steel simultaneously. Though the two materials may seem quite different, I found many similarities in the techniques and processes used to make objects, specifically furniture. To name a few, both can require elements of heat to make bends, both can be worked in additive or subtractive ways, and both can be inlaid or pieced together to create decorative patterns.
Ultimately, I found that the best way to highlight these similarities in the realm of furniture making was to eliminate wood entirely from my process.
By recreating classic furniture designs completely out of painted and rusted steel, I am able to pay homage to, and in some ways make fun of both craft disciplines and the history of furniture making. At first glance, the pieces appear to be made of wood, and are often met with personal memories and connotations from viewers. Upon closer inspection however, it is revealed that the works are just not quite right, with rust spots, humorous images, or implied textiles, among other effects. I encourage viewers to experience wood and steel in a new light, and reevaluate their relationship to furniture.
Sophie received her BFA in Sculpture and Drawing from SUNY Purchase College, and her MFA in Furniture Design and Woodworking from San Diego State University. She has exhibited her work across the country, including Blue Spiral 1 Gallery (NC), the Center for Art in Wood (PA), and the Metal Museum (TN), and has been fortunate to receive several grants, fellowships, and residencies to help advance her career, including the John D. Mineck Furniture Fellowship in 2022. Sophie has held academic appointments at Tennessee Technological University and Mississippi State University, and taught workshops at A Workshop of Our Own (MD), Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (TN), Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (ME), and the Appalachian Center for Craft (TN).
2017
San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
MFA, Furniture Design and Woodworking
2012
SUNY Purchase College
BFA, Sculpture and Drawing
2022
John D. Mineck Fellowship for Furniture Arts, Society of Arts and Crafts
Finalist, Visual Artist Fellowship, Center for Emerging Visual Artists
2021
FY22 Individual Artist Fellowship, Mississippi Arts Commission
Emerging Artist Cohort, American Craft Council
2020
Artist Rapid Response Mini-grant, Mississippi Arts Commission
United States Artists Fellowship Award Nominee
2018
Best in Show, Best of Tennessee Craft Exhibition, Clarksville, TN
“Get Ready” Grant, CERF+
LEAP Award Finalist, Society for Contemporary Craft
Individual Artist Fellowship, Tennessee Arts Commission
2017
Niche Awards, student finalist in wood
2016
Educational Grant, Furniture Society
Niche Awards, student finalist in functional metal
2015
Isabel Kraft Sculpture Scholarship, San Diego State University
Windgate Scholarship, Windgate Charitable Foundation, San Diego State University
2014
Isabel Kraft Sculpture Scholarship, San Diego State University
President’s Purchase Award, San Diego State University
2013
Windgate Scholarship, Windgate Charitable Foundation, San Diego State University
Sam Maloof Scholarship, Anderson Ranch Arts Center
2012
Powermatic Student Workshop Scholarship, for Penland School of Crafts funded by the Furniture Society
William Randolph Hearst Scholarship, Anderson Ranch Arts Center
2011
William Randolph Hearst Scholarship, Anderson Ranch Arts Center
General Work Study Scholarship, Penland School of Crafts
2016-2019
Wood Artist-in-Residence, Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
2017
Pentaculum Artist-in-Residence, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
2016
Windgate Craft Residency, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
2021
“Forged”, Ruminate Magazine
“Woodworking in America: Sophie Glenn," Popular Woodworking Magazine
"February featured artist," New South Finds
2020
“'Rust Never Sleeps’ at Memphis’ Metal Museum” , Artistic Fuel
2018
SNAG’s 2nd Annual Jewelry and Metals Survey (JaMS), Society of North American Goldsmiths
2017
SNAG’s 1st Annual Jewelry and Metals Survey (JaMS), Society of North American Goldsmiths
Fine Woodworking Magazine, August 2017, no. 262. Reader’s Gallery
2016
California Wood Artists: Sam Maloof and Beyond, Sam and Alfreda Maloof
catalog
Foundation for Arts and Crafts, Alta Loma, CA.
Furniture as Art as Furniture, LAX Airport, Los Angeles, CA
catalog
On the Edge of Your Seat: Chairs for the 21st Century, Center for Art in Wood, Philadelphia, PA
catalog
2015
A Long Engagement: Wendy Maruyama and Her Students, San Diego State University, San Diego CA
catalog
2021 - present
Visitor Engagement and Operations Manager, Wharton Esherick Museum, Malvern, PA
2016 - 2019
Wood Studio Manager, Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
2011 - 2016
Studio Assistant (part-time), Vivian Beer Studio Works, Manchester, NH
2012 - 2014
Metal Fabricator and Welder, Shelton Studios Inc., Brooklyn, NY
2019 - 2021
Visiting Assistant Professor of Sculpture, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS
2017 - 2019
Adjunct Faculty, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN
2015 - 2016
Graduate Teaching Assistant, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
2023
Bandsaw Boxes, Snowfarm, Williamsburg, MA
Chairmaking, Peter’s Valley School of Craft, Layton, NJ
Box It Up! Welding and Fabricating Small Steel Boxes, The Steel Yard, Providence, RI
2022
Bandsaw Boxes, A Workshop of Our Own, Baltimore, MD
Fabricating Ideas in Steel, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
2021
Box Making Workshop, Lohr Woodworking, Schwenksville, PA
Traditional Finishes for Wood, virtual workshop, A Workshop of Our Own, Baltimore, MD
2020
Intro to MIG Welding, virtual workshop, A Workshop of Our Own, Baltimore, MD
Fun with Finishes virtual workshop, A Workshop Of Our Own, Baltimore, MD
2019
Joint it, Plane it, Weld it, weeklong summer workshop, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
The Furniture Between Us, Workshop assistant to Sarah Marriage, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
2018
Weekend Welding Workshop (through UALR artWorks), University of Arkansas Little Rock, AR
Fun with Finishes, weeklong summer workshop, A Workshop or Our Own, Baltimore, MD
Side Table Manners, weeklong summer workshop, Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
2017
Vessel Carving Adult Workshop, Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
2016 - 2019
Spoon Carving for High School Outreach program, Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
2016- 2017
Spoon Carving Adult Workshop, Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
2013- 2014
Intermediate and Advanced Furniture, Teaching Assistant to Instructor Matthew Hebert, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
2013 -2015
Furniture and Woodworking 1, Teaching assistant for three semesters, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
2010 - 2013
Bronze Casting, Sculpture 1, and Metal 1, Teaching assistant for multiple semesters, SUNY Purchase College, Purchase, NY
2022
Virtual Artist Lecture, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
Virtual Demonstration, Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC
2021
Artist Lecture, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA
Artist Lecture, College of Creative Studies, Detroit, MI
Guest, “Maker Mom Podcast: Wonder Women”
2020
Guest, ‘Conversations with Black Lumberjack’, Instagram Live and YouTube
Virtual Artist Lecture, ‘Tributaries: Rust Never Sleeps”, Metal Museum, Memphis, TN
2018
Artist Lecture, University of Arkansas Little Rock, Little Rock, AR
2020 - present
Education Committee member, A Workshop of Our Own
2019 - present
Member, American Craft Council
Member, Society of North American Goldsmiths
2012-present
Member, Furniture Society
2023
New Now VI, InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2021
Sophie Glenn: Hot Seats, Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
2020
Tributaries: Sophie Glenn, Metal Museum, Memphis, TN
2019
New Traditions: Sophie Glenn and Adam Hawk, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Gatlinburg,TN
2018
Sophie Glenn and Lydia Johnson: Crafting Contemporary Furniture and Ceramics, TennesseeArts Commission, Nashville, TN
2022
Craft Forms 2022, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
14th Annual Juried Exhibition, Goggleworks Center for the Arts, Reading, PA
2022 Craft Biennial Exhibition, FullerCraft Museum, Brockton, MA
Coined in the South, Mint Museum,Charlotte, NC
2021
METAL, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2020
Breaking from Tradition: Contemporary Approaches to the Decorative Arts, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX
American Contemporary Craft: A NationalJuried Exhibition, Louise Hopkins Underwood
Center for the Arts, Lubbock, TX
Object Permanence, Baltimore JewelryCenter, Baltimore, MD
Inextricably Linked, University Galleryat San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
2019
In Conversation: Inspired Furniture Then and Now, William King Museum of Art,Abingdon, VA
Furnished, Southeastern Center forContemporary Art, Winston-Salem, NC
40 Under 40: The Next Generation ofAmerican Metal Artists, Metal Museum, Memphis, TN
2018
Take A Seat, Blue Spiral 1 Gallery, Asheville, NC
Best of Tennessee Craft, Customs HouseMuseum, Clarksville, TN
Dogwood Arts Regional Art Exhibition,Dogwood Arts, Knoxville, TN
Sitting Pretty: The ChairRe-envisioned!, Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg, VA
2017
45th Mid-States Craft Exhibition, Evansville Museum of Arts, History, andScience, Evansville, IN
American Craft Today: Chairs, TheBascom, Highlands, NC
Dogwood Arts Regional Art Exhibition,Dogwood Arts, Knoxville, TN
Summer Instructor Showcase, AppalachianCenter for Craft, Smithville, TN
Philadelphia Furniture Show, 23rdStreet Armory, Philadelphia, PA
2016 - 2018
Artist-in-Residence Showcase, Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
Multiple shows
2016
California Wood Artists: Sam Maloof & Beyond, Sam and Alfreda MaloofFoundation for Arts and Crafts, Alta Loma, CA
On the Edge of Your Seat: Chairs forthe 21st Century, Center for Art in Wood, Philadelphia, PA
Student Award Exhibition, Flor y Cantoand Jackson Galleries at San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Niche Awards, Washington D.C.
2015
Sculptural Objects and Functional Art (SOFA) Fair, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
WestEdge Design Fair, The BarkerHangar, Santa Monica, CA
Good to the Last Crop: Wendy Maruyama’s Latest Brood, Flor y Canto and Jackson Galleries at San Diego State University,San Diego, CA
International Contemporary FurnitureFair (ICFF), Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York, NY
Student Award Exhibition, UniversityGallery at San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
2014
Dendronautics, San Diego Art Fair, San Diego, CA
Student Award Exhibition, UniversityGallery at San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Craf*Twork, The Glashaus, San Diego, CA
2013
Craft*Twork, University Gallery at San Diego State University, San Diego CA
Headless, University Gallery at SanDiego State University, San Diego, CA
Craft + Design, a Furniture SocietyExhibition, Fifth Floor Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2012
Faculty Selects, Furniture Society Conference, Maine College of Art, Portland, ME
2021
Crafted Identities, Mississippi State University, Cullis Wade Depot ArtGallery, Starkville, MS
