Is there anything that guarantees to be an instant success more than being mentioned by Oprah or in her O Magazine? Probably not. That's the situation Thomas Glenn finds himself in this year as his company has made The "O" list and the Hot Pink Cammo Christmas ornament* is featured in the December issue of Oprah magazine. But it's really not an instant success, as the Thomas Glenn Collection has been a favorite among collectors for several years and now non-collectors will be on board!
When Glenn started designing, his first pieces were simple designs in brilliant colors. He said he's always loved hot colors even for Christmas and especially the very bright jewel tones.
Today the company is known for their unique design and unusual colors. He has been dubbed the "Haute Couture" designer of Christmas by Bloomingdales and one look
at the Glenn line and it's evident why. If you're looking for traditional Christmas look elsewhere, but if you love modern and unusual designs, amazing Asian pieces,
or elegant jeweled balls, these just might be the right ornaments for your tree.
Learning How to Make Them:
Thomas Glenn is foremost an artist and has been one for many years, venturing into the ornament business just about eight years ago. When asked how he got into designing ornaments, he relates that he was in Poland looking at ornaments and couldn't find anything he wanted to put on his Christmas tree. So he decided to design his own.
Glenn did it a little bit different than most ornament designers. He not only designed the ornaments, he learned how to make them. Glenn stayed in Poland and learned how to blow glass and work with the colors. At that time Glenn started his line, the factories would use the colors as they came out of the bottle, he went on to developing unusual colors, applications and a way of using glitter to that it was part of the ornament design, not just applied on top of the design.
A Small Operation:
The company is a small operation, hence the ornaments are limited in what they can produce. Glenn said "We don't make a lot of ornaments, we only produce what is actually pre-sold at a gift show". The company shows their ornaments at the wholesale gift shows in Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and will be in Dallas in 2010.
The Thomas Glenn Collection can be found in higher end stores across the country, as well as in several museum shops. The Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum and the Virginia Museum of Art currently carry his line.
Yellow Ornaments?:
When asked what he feels he is known for, Glenn reiterated "it's the modern pieces, unusual colors and designs. I've been doing yellow on ornaments since the beginning, they've always sold, but they are really selling now. The blue and white Asian ornaments are also ones I've become known for."
Looking Forward:
Looking forward to 2010 Glenn will be producing a line of for the
Winterthur in Delaware.
When one thinks of Winterthur, modern ornaments don't necessarily come to mind, but next year there will be a special Thomas Glenn line. It consists of pastoral ornaments, such as farm animals. But knowing of Glenn's background and current designs, one can bet that it won't be traditional brown cows hanging from the Winterthur trees.
Bottom Line:
Unique colors, unusual modern designs and affordable prices -- if this fits your idea of a what a glass ornament should be, the Thomas Glenn Collection ornaments are sure to be a welcome addition to your holiday decor!
*Available online at Celebrate 365.
