Dragonflies of Glass - by Susan Goldman Rubin (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In the mid-nineteenth century, most women who weren't raising families became teachers or nurses. But Clara Driscoll longed to be an artist, drawing inspiration from nature: from every flower, weed, dragonfly, and even cobweb on her family's farm. After moving to New York City in 1888, Clara was hired at the renowned Tiffany Glass Company, where Mr. Louis Comfort Tiffany was known for creating gorgeous stained-glass windows for churches, theaters, and libraries. Impressed by her talent at choosing and cutting glass, Mr. Tiffany eventually put Clara in charge of her own staff of thirty-five women designers. These "Tiffany Girls" sketched intricate patterns, chose dazzling colors and precise shapes, and carefully soldered and placed each piece of glass to create stunning lamps, murals, windows, vases, and clocks. Yet their names weren't always credited on the finished pieces, and when Clara designed the "Wisteria" lamp that would become Tiffany Studios' most famous, everyone assumed that Mr. Tiffany had designed it. Today, Clara Driscoll 's work lives on in museums, galleries, and private collections around the world, including hundreds of pieces housed by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Written by award-winning kids' nonfiction author Susan Goldman Rubin and radiantly illustrated by Susanna Chapman, Dragonflies of Glass celebrates the innovation, determination, and ambition of the unsung women behind many of Tiffany Studios' masterpieces. Includes a list of places where Driscoll's Tiffany art can be found; examples of Driscoll's Tiffany lamps and archival photographs; endnotes; and a bibliography"--

Book Synopsis

From award-winning kids' nonfiction author Susan Goldman Rubin, and radiantly illustrated by Susanna Chapman, the picture book Dragonflies of Glass celebrates the innovation, determination, and ambition of the brilliant woman artist behind the world-famous Tiffany glass

In the mid-nineteenth century, most women who weren't raising families became teachers or nurses. But Clara Driscoll longed to be an artist, drawing inspiration from nature: from every flower, weed, dragonfly, and even cobweb, on her family's farm.

In 1888, Clara was hired at the renowned Tiffany Glass Company, where Mr. Louis Comfort Tiffany was known for creating gorgeous stained-glass windows for churches, theaters, and libraries. Impressed by her talent at choosing and cutting glass, Mr. Tiffany eventually put Clara in charge of her own staff of 35 women designers.

These "Tiffany Girls" sketched intricate patterns, chose dazzling colors and precise shapes, and carefully soldered and placed each piece of glass to create stunning lamps, murals, windows, vases, and clocks. Yet their names weren't always credited on the finished pieces, and when Clara designed the "Wisteria" lamp that would become Tiffany Studios' most famous, everyone assumed that Mr. Tiffany had designed it.

Today, Clara Driscoll's work lives on in museums, galleries, and private collections around the world. Dragonflies of Glass celebrates the innovation, determination, and ambition of the unsung women behind many of Tiffany Studios' masterpieces.

Includes a list of places where Driscoll's Tiffany art can be found; examples of Driscoll's Tiffany lamps and archival photographs; endnotes; and a bibliography.

Review Quotes

"[I]n-depth storytelling with saturated watercolor...Driscoll appeals as a fascinating figure in this immersive historical read."--Publishers Weekly

"A satisfying, behind-the-scenes look at the work of an unsung designer."--Kirkus Reviews

"An interesting picture book biography."--Booklist

"Direct quotes from Driscoll's letters to her family give the narrative personality...Chapman's illustrations beautifully evoke the depth and dynamic brilliance of stained glass...an ideal choice"--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Rubin's detailed text is as much about the exacting work of crafting leaded glass as it is about Driscoll's unconventional position as a woman in late-nineteenth-century society. Chapman's movement-filled, eye-catching illustrations...keep the information lively..."--Horn Book Magazine!

"The composition of each illustration is exceptionally thoughtful, detailed, and dynamic...A beautifully designed addition to biography collections, spotlighting a singular female artist."--School Library Journal

About the Author

Susan Goldman Rubin is the award-winning author of more than 55 books for young people, including Degas, Painter of Ballerinas; Coco Chanel; The Quilts of Gee's Bend; Hot Pink; and Diego Rivera. She lives in Malibu, California. Susanna Chapman is an illustrator, muralist, and designer. Her illustrated picture books include Covered in Color: Christo and Jeanne-Claude's Fabrics of Freedom; Elizabeth Warren's Big, Bold Plans; The Girl Who Ran; and Ada and the Galaxies. She lives in Nashville.