The Washington Glass School

Washington Glass School is excited to share that co-directors Michael Janis and Tim Tate are among the artists included in a significant new acquisition by The Baker Museum in Naples, Florida. The museum has received The Dr. Laurence and Rita Sibrack Collection of Contemporary Glass and Ceramics, a gift that brings 74 works by 60 artists into the museum’s permanent collection.

The Sibrack Collection includes works by some of the most influential names in contemporary glass and ceramics, including Dale Chihuly, Judith Schaechter, Amber Cowan, Preston Singletary, Lucio Bubacco—and now, Michael Janis and Tim Tate. This collection spans nearly every major glass technique, from flame-worked to blown and cast, and reflects a deep appreciation for material, form, and light.

The Baker Museum’s decision to fully integrate these works into its broader holdings marks a continued shift in how museums value glass and ceramics—not as separate from fine art, but as essential parts of its story. For Janis and Tate, who have each spent decades advancing contemporary glass as a narrative and conceptual art form, this recognition is especially meaningful.

“Our work is about storytelling through material,” said Michael Janis. “Being included in a collection like this, which treats glass as a vehicle for meaning and not just decoration, affirms why we do what we do.”

Tim Tate added, “What the Sibracks have built is not just a personal collection—it’s a statement about the relevance and emotional range of glass today.”

The Sibracks, longtime supporters of Artis—Naples, were first inspired by a 2000 exhibition of Chihuly’s work at the museum. Their decision to make this donation stems from a long commitment to both the institution and the idea that art should be lived with, shared, and accessible to all.

This acquisition places the work of two DC-based artists into one of the most respected collections in the region, further establishing the impact of the Washington Glass School on the national stage. We’re proud to see Michael and Tim’s work recognized alongside such powerful voices in the field and grateful to the Sibracks and the Baker Museum for helping bring greater visibility to the language of glass.

The collection will be celebrated in the upcoming exhibition “The Passion of Collecting: Stories in Glass and Ceramics from the Sibrack Collection,” opening January 10, 2026 at The Baker Museum and remaining on view through the fall.

Following is a complete list of artists in the The Dr. Laurence and Rita Sibrack Collection of Contemporary Glass and Ceramics: Dean Allison, Adrian Arleo, Michael Behrens, Susan Beiner, Alex Bernstein, Charles Birbaum, Christina Bothwell, Peter Bremers, Emily Brock, Lucio Bubacco, Jim Budde, Nancy Callan, Dale Chihuly, A-Mi Choi, Amber Cowan, Dan Dailey, Stefen Dam, Laura Donefer, Michael Glancy, Peter Hora, Agnes Husz, Jannet Iskander, Martin Janecky, Michael Janis, William Kidd, Sabrina Knowles, Velarde Kukuli, K. William LeQuier, Dianne Martin Lublinski, Emma Luna, Robert Mickelsen, Shelley Muzylowski Allen, Harumi Nakashima, Sybelle Peretti, Lindsay Pichaske, Jenny Pohlman, Clyfford Rainey, David Regan, Colin Reid, Ross Richmond, George Rodriquez, Davide Salvadore, Judith Schaechter, Livio Seguso, Preston Singletary, Carmen Spera, Kristen Stingle, April Surgent, Matthew Szösz, Etsuko Tashimu, Tim Tate, Tip Toland, Margit Tóth, Hidenori Tsumori, Sam Tuffnell, Janusz Walentynowicz, Patti Warashina, Ann Wolff, Loretta Yang and Mary Ann Zynsky.

To learn more about the museum and the artists in the collection, visit artisnaples.org.