Biographical Information Nourot Glass Studio

Micheal Nourot, founding partner of Nourot Glass Studio has been making glass for over 40 years.  He was born January 1949 in Riverside, California. Micheal was one of the first 16 students at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington.  He attended the first  “Session” fall/winter of 1971–72. Working with founder’s Dale Chihuly and Jamie Carpenter, Mr. Nourot designed and helped build the first hot shop at Pilchuck.

Following the Pilchuck experience, Micheal left for Venice, Italy.  There he apprenticed to glass master Checo Ongaro at Venini.  Just a handful of Americans were allowed into the famed Italian glass houses in the 1970’s: Dale Chihuly, Richard Marquis, and Benjamin Moore, included. Formulas for the Nourot glass have their origins from this time.

Micheal’s Light Opera, founded in April 1973,  in Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco, was his first studio.  Soon afterward, Micheal Nourot formed a partnership with Ann Corcoran, also a CCAC alumni (whom he married in November ’74).  On August 1, 1974 the Nourot Studio moved to Benicia, California where it is located today. The Nourots have three children, Lois, 31, Nick, 28 and Gabriel, 15.

Series and Signature works have both been produced continuously by Nourot artisans.  “Scarlet Nova®” and “Red Satin®” original  red glass formulas, are Nourot trademark patterns.  Some notable series are the multi-section platters and bowls, also Metallic in cobalt or Red, Placer Lustre and the Shifting Sands series.  These are all offered in a wide range of sizes, shapes and price points.  A large piece by Nourot is currently approximately $1,750—$2,150.  Smaller vessel works are in the $230—$790 range.

All Nourot Studio pieces are still signed and registered by the same method since the studio began: studio name, series letters, piece number, year and the artist’s initials.

Nicholas Nourot was just 6 when he began making glass. In 1994 at the age of 11 he stated that school was not as important as being in the shop.  The years have proved his time there is well spent. He has traveled to pursue his glass studies in Scotland and in 20011, on Murano at the Abate Zanetti School of Glass. Nick’s other interest is also a passion: competitive bass fishing.

Nicholas Nourot taught briefly at the Eugene Glass School (2003) and has attended the Pilchuck School and summer workshops abroad studying with Dante Marioni.  His style favors the long and lean and his signature series is currently the tall red “Amphorae”.

Micheal has been the driving force behind making the glass studio a success since the beginning. His wife Ann Corcoran is known for the “Void Vase “series.   Now “Grannie Annie” is minding the shop while doing promotion and working on the secondary market. Ann also likes blogging about contemporary glass at www.benicianglassbynourot.blogspot.com.

The Nourot’s quest for perfection in glass quality has meant they insist on mixing and melting all of their own glass colors.  Many studios rely on pre-melted “pelletized” glass and purchased color rods to make their glass. At Nourot all of the glasses are original formulas. Sands from special locales in the U.S. are used for each of the red formulas of Nourot Studio.

Nourot Studio has made glass for Pope John Paul II and Presidents Clinton and Reagan.  Their new area of enterprise is custom lighting for office building lobbies, restaurants and casinos.  Nourot also has done custom awards for the USAF, the US Navy, Hewlett Packard, Clorox, Bio-Rad and similar corporations.  Cameo or sandblasted works have been produced with Nourot pieces by the artist Val Surjan and Joan Irving.

Micheal Nourot developed a gold luster glass (actually made with silver) that is incorporated into his pieces. There seems to be an endless demand for Nourot’s bright red glass.  Scarlet Nova by Nourot is a ‘striking” red that is of a different formula than the Red Satin.  The Scarlet Nova is so named because a nova happens only once every 100 years.  This formula was last made in 1886 by the New England Glass Works of East Cambridge, Massachusetts.  At the time these were known as “coral ware”, “wild rose”, and “peach blow”.  Scarlet Nova has a paler bottom and becomes a shade of bright red or red-orange towards the top.

Collectors are invited to find out more about early Nourot pieces by having our in house appraiser value your older purchases.  The value of mid-seventies glass artist’s work is increasing daily in value.  Pieces of Nourot on the secondary market can be found on various internet sites.  The SF Chronicle wrote recent articles on the Nourot Studio: July 19 and November 22, 2008.

The Nourot glass allows the giver to say that they have made an effort to describe their feelings about beauty and value.  Each piece of Nourot Glass is a signed and numbered valuable collectable.  Glass Art works are jewelry for the home.  The glass works by Nourot are classic in shape and brilliant in color.  No two pieces are ever exactly duplicated.