About Michael Biel, Sculptor

I am a primarily self-taught sculptor. I knew at an early age that sculpting was something I loved and was excited by. As a student of Archaeology (B.A. Rutgers College, 1976) and Classical Archaeology (completed graduate-level, Masters coursework Univ. of Pennsylvania, 1979), I have excavated on ancient Greek and Roman sites and dove upon ancient Greek shipwrecks and temple ruins in the Aegean. Later, I would scuba dive in other oceans, most especially on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Underwater, I’ve most loved the colors of reef fish and squid, the variety of coral shapes and the forms and movements of jellyfish. Learning about bio-luminescent sea creatures and the huge range of jellies has further captivated me. Exploring materials, I experimented working with wood and stone, which yielded no clear direction, but contact with crystals and semi-precious stones led me to a deepening appreciation of naturally occurring translucent colors and energies. Upon discovering art glass over thirty years ago, I saw in it a vibrancy and potential that wanted to be exalted and shapes that inspired me to tune into what I could do with it. Fortunately, over time, as a developing artist, I’ve had a deep sense of being guided and my work continues to grow with each completed piece.

I work a great deal with used, flawed, chipped or broken, “found” art glass sourced from all over the world - mainly in the form of unsigned, vintage, abstract glass, lead crystal and blown glass vessels from long-shuttered production houses. I repurpose these and may add to them my own, hot-blown glass elements. as well as contemporary glass elements. By carving, cutting, grinding, sandblasting, drilling and polishing damaged pieces and fitting those together with new ones through the cold-working, and assembly process, I find my way to new, unprecedented compositions. My StarSentients® have been the result of this re-imagining the old glass forms blended with the new into luminous totems with carrying spiritual energy. It has been a gift to develop and explore this with the unconventional sense of guidance that I have had and to see what is possible. This has become my passionate work, to create sculptures designed to embody timelessness and universality, while they also kindle hidden memory. I am hopeful that these offer the perceiver fresh, mytho-poetic forms and archetypes that uplift and inspire contemplation, as they arrive shamanically complete from my hands.

I worked directly with hot glass artist, Jerry Lin-Hsien Kung, at Public Glass San Francisco, where I developed my glass-working skills. I received very initial training with Marty Meade, who helped inspire my earliest love of working with the material. I’ve had assistance at intervals from LB Glass Studio (maestro Latchezar Boyadjiev) to refine glass elements. I’ve shown my sculptures in a few small shows with works by Matt Szosz and Nate Watson. Only recently has the this labor of love actually become a professional pursuit with a real body of work to share.

For more about this work, please see my Artist Statement.