Dallas Glass Artist Anna Curnes Debuts Her First Solo Show in the Design District — A Journey of Self-Discovery Through Art

Just over five years ago, we met up with Dallas glass artist Anna Curnes for the first time to discuss her new gallery in the Design District. She had created a multi-media art studio and showroom that brought four female artists together who shared one thing in common — loss. She was open about the fact that she used breaking glass as a means of catharsis after losing her sister to cancer. She shatters glass and fuses it to create something more beautiful. From small sculpted flowers to large-scale installations, Curnes pushes the boundaries of what glass art can be. Now, Curnes is debuting her first solo show inspired by a five-week transformative residency in France. It Started in Paris, a mixed media and glass art exhibit, will run from March 1 through April 12 at ALG Fine Art.

Since our first visit in 2019, the gallery has been renamed to ALG Fine Art and features two resident artists including Curnes. The second is Christi Meril (who has worked in the space since it opened), a contemporary artist who creates the coolest sculptural pieces utilizing organic wood and canvas paintings. When you walk into the Design District gallery, you can see both artists’ works on display, but currently, Curnes’ new show takes over. We got a sneak peek, and it’s a must-see.

A First Look at It Started in Paris

“I went to France to trace the steps of Cézanne, Monet, Van Gogh, and other impressionists and to find inspiration for a new chapter in my art. What I discovered was the courage to face myself as an artist,” Anna Curnes tells PaperCity.

In It Started in Paris, “Let It Be, I and II” was inspired by Mont Sainte-Victoire. Curnes says that Cézanne had “painted some version of this mountain 118 times that he let people acquire between public and personal collections.” But who knows how many more there were. Once she sat down to paint the same landscape, she realized why he had done that — over time, the view changed.

This experience led to her first piece made with thrown glass, where she actually threw glass off of the rooftop of ALG Fine Art, in a secure bag, of course. She then used the shards of glass as they were. When the piece broke, she decided to follow the same mantra of accepting what is and realizing things are exactly what they are meant to be. Originally meant to be one piece, “Let It Be” became two.

“I was challenged to create some of my boldest work to date,” she says. “Art not only changes how we see the world but how we see ourselves.”

During a VIP dinner celebrating the opening of the new exhibit, Curnes told guests that she had to confront struggles with self-doubt, imperfections, and uncertainty. She calls herself a recovering “people pleaser” who tends to put others’ needs before her own. But that changes with It Started in Paris. She tells us that although it’s scary to be vulnerable, she is opening herself up now with this new show.

“The resulting kaleidoscoped lucite, mixed media, and fused glass creations that were born out of this work on myself and my time in France push the boundaries of my glass work and explore the themes of simplifying expectation, embracing curiosity, and breaking down perfectionism,” she says. “This exhibition has brought me such healing and peace. I’m finally myself again, and it truly all started in Paris.”

Other highlights of the 30-piece show include “Let It Thrive,” a mirror piece where viewers can’t help but ponder their own reflection, self-portrait “Let It Be Now,” lucite kaleidoscoped “Evening in Paris,” and “Paris Minded” — an installation of 20 pieces made of lucite and raw glass fusion.

An opening reception for It Started in Paris takes place on March 1 from 5 pm to 8 pm. Complimentary tickets can be found here.