The Fort Wayne Museum of Art’s annual Summer of Glass exhibition returns this season with the opening of the Habatat International Glass Invitational, now in its 54th year and recognized as the oldest and largest annual contemporary glass exhibition in the United States.
Presented at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art in Indiana, the exhibition gathers leading contemporary glass artists from around the world whose work expands the possibilities of the medium through new forms, techniques, and ideas. Organized by Habatat Galleries, the invitational has long been regarded as one of the major surveys of international studio glass.
Among the artists selected for this year’s exhibition is Washington Glass School Co-Director Michael Janis, whose cast glass artwork A Secret Place I Go was chosen for inclusion in the juried exhibition.
Janis’ work — known for its layered figurative imagery, narrative complexity, and technically innovative kiln-formed glass processes — continues his exploration of memory, identity, and psychological space through contemporary glass art. The selected piece reflects the artist’s signature approach of combining sculptural depth with painterly imagery embedded within translucent glass.
The exhibition was juried by Brit Micho, Curator of Exhibitions at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art; James Gerhardt, AACG President and Guggenheim Museum Officer; and Sharon Karmazin, theater producer, arts supporter, and noted glass collector.
Artists included in the 2026 exhibition represent an international cross-section of contemporary glass, including Lino Artists included in the 2026 exhibition are Rick Allen, Shelley Allen, Alex Bernstein, Michael Behrens, Geoffrey Bowton, Wendy Saxton Brown, Nancy Callan, Ekin Aytec & Josh Davids, Bandu Dunham, Philip Baldwin & Monica Guggisberg, Willfried Grootens, Michael Janis, Claire Kelley, John Kiley, Laura Kramer, Lucy Lyon, Crista Matteson, Stephen Powell, Toland Sand, Carrie Seid, Lino Tagliapietra, Sarah Vaughn, Littleton Vogel, Brent Kee Young, and Public Choice artist Trina Urrata Weintraub.
Habatat Galleries co-owner and director Aaron Schey described the current moment in contemporary glass as a period of rapid growth and renewed energy:
“I think contemporary glass is experiencing a rebirth. The community is growing, new talent is appearing every day, and artists are sharing ideas and techniques in ways that were never possible before.”
Schey emphasized that increased museum visibility and public engagement remain essential to the future of the medium:
“Glass elevates every space it enters. It interacts with light, architecture, and the viewer in a way few materials can.”
The 54th Annual International Glass Invitational is on view at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, 311 E Main Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana, from June 20 through August 23, 2026.
About Michael Janis
Michael Janis is a contemporary glass artist, architect, educator, and Co-Director of the Washington Glass School in Washington, DC. His internationally exhibited artwork combines kiln-cast and pâte de verre glass techniques with figurative imagery influenced by printmaking, street art, and narrative painting. Janis’ work has been exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide and is included in numerous public and private collections.
