By Ann Potter

A few words from Ben Wright, Pilchuck's Artistic Director:

As we turn the corner on the first 50 years and look forward into the future, we are committed to making the Pilchuck experience accessible to the widest possible audience. In the work to evolve our steep hillside campus and outdated systems into a more universally navigable experience for all our students, we have relied heavily on the advice, observations, and lived wisdom of students, residents, and affiliated artists with a wide range of physical and cognitive challenges.

Along that path, Ann Potter has evolved from an intrepid pioneer of a student into a valued advisor and colleague for the school and our staff. Her dedication and perseverance inform her ability to plan for a more perfect future, and her delivery of actionable steps has been a huge asset. Her visible work as both an artist and advocate is actively changing perceptions of what is possible at Pilchuck and across the glass world.

Studios, glasswork, and dining at Pilchuck in 1971 versus today

The very first session at Pilchuck in 1971 was far from the campus experience we have now. Tents, camping, and improvised dining were among the challenges teachers and students had in early years. As the years progressed, the campus grew and developed—and until very recently, accessibility was not a consideration.

While the current campus is far from those early days, it needs to keep evolving to meet the challenges of the next fifty years. Fifty years ago, no one would have guessed so much of what is pushing the boundaries of glass art today: Reilly Donovan's interactive technology paired with glass, or Alana Biffert and Marta Gorski's combination of glass and photography, or recycling glass to create new objects as Cathryn Schilling does, or Cat Burns' tactile glass pieces that can be “read” like Braille, or the beloved glass fashion show at Glass Art Society conferences, or the all-female glassblowing studio founded by Cherry Lee on the island of Murano.

CROMMEA, mixed-media installation by Alanna Biffert and Marta Gorski, 2021

Pilchuck is a place where ideas are sprouted and nurtured, collaborations between artists are encouraged, failures are embraced because they often led to something superior, and dreams become reality. To keep this growth progressing, Pilchuck is moving towards inclusiveness, diversity, and accessibility. Bringing together a group that reflects the world we live in allows artists to share, learn, and create in the nurturing bubble of creativity that is Pilchuck.

Part of that growth lies in accessibility. I find, in speaking to people about accessibility, they often have misconceptions. If people have not experienced someone with accessibility issues, they often just see a huge monetary cost. In truth, accessibility is about the implementation of universal design principals—equitability, flexibility, simplicity, intuitiveness, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use.

So, what exactly am I speaking about? The easiest way to explain is to give examples. Marvers, a common tool in the hot shop, often have one set height. That height is ergonomically ideal for some people, but for the majority of us, prolonged use can become a physical challenge. What if the next marver at Pilchuck were adjustable? It would then become something everyone can use comfortably. The same goes for a chair or table. Accessibility can be as simple as drawer pulls, furniture placement, lowering wall hooks, changing a doorknob to a lever, or making sure a mat on the floor is not covering a hidden unevenness.

Accessibility is also about making changes to existing items—replacing the stairs at the garage door entrance to the Cold Shop with a ramp, rethinking the placement of the color bar chopper, and the list goes on...

The original grassy hillside up to Pilchuck's Studio Building has been replaced by concrete stairs and a new ramp poured in 2021.

Pilchuck's new concrete stairs and ramp and similar future pours are costly, but these new paths will be a benefit to all. Instead of walking on slick grass with a heavy, awkward load, a concrete path makes it easier and safer. For me, the ability to navigate the central core of the campus by myself would be freeing. I always feel a bit of guilt when I need to involve another person to move around campus, even though I've always had willing helpers.

But the benefit from concrete paths and other accessible changes is broader than that. Pilchuck benefits from having a wide array of artists coming to the campus. What about an older artist who has much to share but is having mobility issues moving around campus? What about someone in a session who has an accident while there and needs a mobility aid? Accessibility is about allowing everyone who comes to Pilchuck to experience the campus to the fullest.

The process of increasing accessibility at Pilchuck will be a slow and thoughtful one. While total accessibility will never be possible, making these changes will allow more artists to experience this cocoon of community and creativity. Some of the easiest modifications or changes will appear sooner rather than later. Purchasing choices in the future will be best served using universal design standards. Additional concrete paths and hopefully accessible housing on the lower campus will be goals for the future. Just like Pilchuck over the past fifty years, the next fifty will allow our school to grow and change to meet the future.

As an artist and advocate for accessibility, I treasure the gifts I have gotten from living and working on Pilchuck's campus. Yes, at times it has been challenging and frustrating, but I would always choose the challenges and frustration over not being part of the experience.