Lloyd Atkins

"Glass is unique in its brilliance and transparency - I find it an endlessly fascinating medium. One of the greatest thrills as a designer is seeing your two-dimensional idea transformed into a three-dimensional object."

Atkins, who was one of Steuben's most versatile and prolific designers, joined the company in 1948. Born in Brooklyn, he earned a Bachelor of Industrial Design at Pratt Institute.

Although Atkins' designs in crystal include scores of representational and decorative figures, forms for engraving, and geometric sculptures, he is best known for his many wonderful animal designs. His range and talents are wide and versatile, though, and he has also produced several masterworks including Universe of Light, which was commissioned by the General Electric Company in observance of its centennial. The Coca Cola Company installed Bird Sphere, another one of Atkin's major one-of-a-kind works, in the lobby of its headquarters to celebrate its centennial. His sculpture Tiered Prism was presented by President Nixon to the late Premier Chou En-Lai of the People's Republic of China.

Atkins' work has been exhibited at a variety of museums and galleries, including: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.; Palais du Louvre, Paris; and Park Lane House, London. Atkins is represented in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago; University of Kyoto, Japan; National Museum of the Philippines, Manila; Dwight David Eisenhower Library, Abilene, Kansas, and many private collections. Atkins officially retired from Steuben in 2000, and died in February, 2002. (From http://steuben.com/acb/article.cfm?section=41&subsection=20&group=0&aid=109)