The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) will open 'Tough Stuff: Women in the American Glass Studio' on May 16, 2026, running through January 10, 2027. This is the first survey exhibition dedicated to women artists working in glass during the 1960s and 1970s, featuring over 200 objects from artists including Claire Falkenstein, Audrey Handler, Margie Jervis, Susie Krasnican, Kathleen Mulcahy, Ginny Ruffner, Ruth Tamura, and Toots Zynsky. Curated by Tami Landis, the show draws from CMoG's permanent collection, the Rakow Research Library, and notable loans, presenting works that have never been displayed before.
This exhibition matters because it corrects a long-standing historical oversight: the American Studio Glass Movement has often been framed around a narrow lineage of male artists, while women played a central yet overlooked role. By highlighting the persistence, ingenuity, and influence of these female artists, 'Tough Stuff' expands the historical narrative to be more inclusive and reflects broader social, cultural, and gender politics of the era. It also marks a major initiative of CMoG's 75th anniversary, bringing new scholarship and visibility to a crucial but marginalized chapter in glass art history.