Habatat Galleries shines the light on women artists

ROYAL OAK — Habatat Galleries is shining a light on women artists in the Matriarchs of Mastery: Women Shaping the Future of Glass Art exhibit opening on Feb. 14.

Twenty women who have “pushed the boundaries” of glass art will have their work on display for one month at Habatat Galleries, 4400 Fernlee Ave. in Royal Oak, according to a press release sent by Habatat Galleries.

The pieces on display will feature the innovation and vision of women artists redefining contemporary glass, according to Aaron Schey, owner of Habatat Galleries Detroit.

“In order to be a successful artist, you have to have a unique style,” Schey said. “You are going to see many styles that people know about, but the artists featured have taken it and made it their own.”

This is the first time Habatat Galleries has had a show celebrating women artists, according to Schey, who said that he has wanted to do something like this for a long time.

“I have always wanted to do a show with more of an important topic,” he said. “We wanted to showcase these women who are pushing the boundaries because there are a lot more women working with glass today than there were 30 years ago.”

The show features female artists from around the world. Schey said he and his team found them from the 2025 Habatat Glass Coast Weekend hosted in Sarasota, Florida, that took place Jan. 9-12.

“Many of these artists participated in that show, and we invited a few others from our Habatat family to put the show together and really focus on an important concept,” he said. “To not only show beautiful things, but also to inspire others.”

Amber Cowan, a glass artist from Philadelphia, is going to be showing her work at the Matriarchs of Mastery show.

Cowan creates sculptural glasswork using recycled, upcycled and second-life American pressed glass, according to her website, ambercowan.com.

“I love the material of glass,” Cowan said. “I am telling a story based on old glass mixed with new.”

Cowan’s pieces are created using the process of flameworking, hot-sculpting and glassblowing to create large-scale sculptures. 

“Her pieces reference memories, domesticity, and the loss of an industry through the re-use of common items from the aesthetic dustbin of American design,” according to her website. 

The complexity of glass art is what keeps Cowan motivated to continue her craft. 

“Glass is an endlessly challenging material,” she said. “No matter how long you’ve been working with glass, it's still a constant source of inspiration for me, and also a constant challenge.”

Cowan said she continues to be fascinated by the moldability of glass and its ability to go from a liquid to a solid state. 

“You can make such intricate detail with simple tools. My main tool is a pair of bonsai shears,” she said. “So most of the cuts, the shapes that I make in my glass, are just with a pair of bonsai shears. Cutting glass is really one of the most fun things to do, and I kind of built my career around that.”

Schey said that women artists cannot be put into one category, as each artist is unique. 

“A lot of women care about the earth and how we treat it, about family, home, children. There are a lot of male artists that also do the same kind of things, but there is a feminine touch that separates the men’s work from the women’s work,” Schey said. “A lot of the time it has more of that feeling of sensitivity in nature and sensitivity in topics of what they are discussing.”

Everything in the show will be up for purchase, but Schey encourages anybody to come through and enjoy the many different pieces on display. 

The soft opening of the Matriarchs of Mastery: Women Shaping the Future of Glass Art exhibit will take place 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 14, but the art will be available to look at until March 15. The exhibit is free of charge, and there is no ticket required for entry. 

For more information on the show and the artists participating, visit habatat.com.