Dragonflies of Glass by Susan Goldman Rubin
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 glassIn 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.
"An interesting picture book biography" * Booklist *
"A satisfying, behind-the-scenes look at the work of an unsung designer." * Kirkus Reviews *
"[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 *
"[I]n-depth storytelling with saturated watercolor...Driscoll appeals as a fascinating figure in this immersive historical read." * Publishers Weekly *
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.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781419754364 |
| ISBN 10 | 141975436X |
| Title | Dragonflies of Glass |
| Author | Susan Goldman Rubin |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Abrams |
| Year published | 2025-03-13 |
| Number of pages | 48 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |