Preston Singletary

Photo by Chloe Collyer

Artist Statement

When I first began working with glass in 1982, I had no idea how deeply I would connect with the material. It wasn’t until I started incorporating Tlingit designs and stories—drawing from my lineage in the Eagle moiety, Kaagwaantaan Box House, Killer Whale clan—that my work took on a deeper sense of purpose. This artistic transformation allowed me to merge ancestral storytelling with a modern medium, giving voice to both my culture and my artistic vision.

I come from a long line of strong Tlingit women. My great-grandmother, Susie Johnson Bartlett Gubatayo, was born in Sitka, Alaska, in 1880 and later moved to Seattle, where she built a foundation for our family. My grandmother, Lillian Abada, raised my mother, Jean Abada, and my aunties, Andrina Abada and Theresa Sherman, almost entirely on her own. Their influence shaped my identity and instilled in me a profound connection to my heritage—one that continues to guide my work today.

Over time, my mastery of glassblowing and Tlingit formline design has evolved, deepening my understanding of both my ancestral roots and my chosen craft. This journey has not only shaped my personal artistic expression but has also positioned me as a significant contributor to contemporary Indigenous art.

Through teaching and collaborating with Native American, Māori, Hawaiian, and Australian Aboriginal artists, I have come to appreciate how glass expands the possibilities of Indigenous art. Indigenous artistic perspectives are deeply tied to ancestral codes, land, and cultural symbolism, and working in glass adds another dimension to these traditions. This exchange of ideas continues to inform and inspire my work.

My work challenges the notion that Native artists must only use traditional materials. By embracing glass as a storytelling medium, I seek to affirm our presence and identity, reinforcing that Indigenous cultures are dynamic, evolving, and rooted in resilience. Through my art, I strive to amplify Indigenous voices, ensuring that we are seen, heard, and recognized on our own terms.

As my work continues to evolve, I remain committed to exploring the connections between Tlingit culture and contemporary art movements. I have been honored to witness how my journey has inspired other Indigenous artists to experiment with glass and other non-traditional materials. Moving forward, I hope to continue fostering innovation, pushing the boundaries of Indigenous art, and creating work that resonates across generations.

Biography

Singletary’s art has become synonymous with the relationship between Tlingit culture and fine art. His glass sculptures deal with themes of Tlingit mythology and traditional designs, while also using music to shape his contemporary perspective of Native culture.

Singletary started blowing glass at the Glass Eye studios in Seattle, WA in 1982, where he grew up and continues to work and live. He developed his skills as a production glass maker and attended the Pilchuck Glass School. Singletary began working at the glass studio of Benjamin Moore, where he broadened his skills by assisting Dante Marioni, Richard Royal, Dan Dailey and Lino Tagliapietra. It was there where Singletary started to develop his own work. In 1993 he traveled for work to Sweden where he was influenced by Scandinavian design and met his future wife, Åsa Sandlund.

In 2000 Singletary received an honorary name from elder, Joe David (Nuu Chah Nulth) and in 2009 Singletary received an honorary doctorate degree from University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA). Forty years of glass making, creating music, and working together with elders has put him in a position of being a keeper of cultural knowledge, while forging new directions in new materials and concepts of Indigenous arts.

Now recognized internationally, Singletary’s works are included in the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, MA), the Seattle Art Museum (Seattle, WA), the Ethnographic Museum (Stockholm, Sweden), The National Museum of Scotland (Edinburgh, UK) The British Museum (London, UK), The National Museum of The American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC) as well as two solo exhibitions that toured multiple venues originating with the Museum of Glass (Tacoma, WA). 

Education

1984-99 The Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA.

Studied with Lino Tagliapietra, Checco Ongaro, Benjamin Moore, Dorit Brand, Judy Hill, Dan Dailey, and Pino Signoretto.