Streets of Manhattan

Kathleen Manhattan,
artist/owner

A practicing artist and instructor for more than 45 years, Kathleen Manhattan has been working in glass fusing as her primary form of artistic expression since the mid-1980s, at a time when the medium was still in its early development for use in serious and large- scale artwork. Through her experiments with temperature formulas and composing techniques she created the underlying structure for the studio practice in use today.

Kathleen’s true gift is the design process. Always fascinated by form, color, movement, and contrast, she is drawn to experiment with various materials, translating her soulful vision into dramatic art.

“My love of glass has taken me into an exploration I feel I’ll never complete. Each piece brings forth beauty to uplift and stimulate the viewer. Since I gravitate towards philosophy and matters of the spirit, every creation opens a new perspective on a larger aesthetic.”

Kathleen Manhattan’s artwork is held in the collections of institutions of local, regional and national importance.

Robert Streeter,
artist/owner

Robert “Skip” Streeter is an artist who has been working in glass for more than 10 years. After apprenticing under Kathleen Manhattan and through his early development as an artist, they partnered to form Streets of Manhattan Studio in 2001. He is now the primary driver in the development of new fusing techniques, ensuring consistency in design and taking projects from vision to completion.

“Even after years of experience in this medium, I remain in awe of the end result.”

Craig Brown,
artist/project manager

A graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Craig brings a concept-centered approach to the more complex projects executed by the studio. While not a glass artist, per se, Craig is instrumental in the initial design of all large-scale artworks and installations. He translates the needs of clients and end-users of a facility into an artwork that furthers the purpose of the space it is in.

Collaboration is at the center of all of Craig’s art. He designs artworks that are not only static objects but activities that maintain a dialog with the many distinct groups of viewers that encounter the work.

“The expectations of the clients, end-users or anyone who has a stake in a design are all like rules in a board game. I don’t find them confining... they are an important part of my artistic process.”