A Symphony of Glass: Composing Beauty in Dazzling New FIA Exhibition

Flint, MI — Opening soon at the Flint Institute of Arts Museum + Art School, a stunning new exhibition of fine glass art paperweights titled A Symphony of Glass: Paperweights from the Ellis Collection. This collection will be on view in the FIA’s Ann K. Walch-Chan Decorative Arts gallery on Saturday, March 1, 2025 through Sunday, March 1, 2026.

This exhibition includes more than 250 paperweights from the private collection of Lansing-based art enthusiast Eileen Ellis. Having immersed herself in the pursuit of collecting and studying the history of paperweights for several decades, Ellis received her first weight as a gift in the early 1990s, and the collection has grown to more than 400 paperweights.

The art form of fine paperweights began in European glass factories in the mid-nineteenth century. Within a few years, paperweights were being produced in France, Great Britain, Russia, and the United States. Nearly a hundred years later in the 1950s, the art form was revived, and today contemporary artists continue to expand on the tradition.

“I am so pleased to be able to share my love of paperweights through this exhibition. I hope the pieces in ‘A Symphony of Glass’ will ‘sing’ to everyone who views the exhibition just as they have sung to my heart.” says donor and collector Eileen Ellis.

The Ellis collection is regarded not only for the size but for the unique fusion of makers, exemplifying the distinct nuances within the 19th century classical production of paperweights to the present. The weights in her collection are not restricted to one technique or country of origin. The collection is also not of one era, but rather provides an overview of the beauty and craftsmanship of almost 200 years of paperweight production, through the trained eye of a collector.

The exhibition catalogue presents the origin of the mid-19^th century paperweight form through examining its history, fabricating process, styles, techniques and terminology. It is not only a companion to the exhibition but serves to highlight the growth of how one becomes a serious collector. Compiled and written by Kathryn Sharbaugh, FIA Director of Donor Relations & Special Initiatives, the catalogue will be available for purchase in the FIA Museum Shop.

The Flint Institute of Arts is open 7 days a week, Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 10a – 5p, Friday from 10a – 8p, and Sunday from 1p – 5p. Admission is free every day for Genesee County residents through the Genesee County Arts, Education, and Cultural Enrichment Millage. Admission is free for all on Saturdays thanks to Huntington Bank. Learn more at flintarts.org.

A Symphony of Glass: Paperweights from the Ellis Collection