The Corning Museum of Glass will open a new exhibition titled "Tough Stuff: Women in the American Glass Studio" on May 16, 2026, as part of its 75th anniversary celebration. This is the first survey exhibition focused on women artists working in glass during the American Studio Glass Movement from the 1960s through the late 1970s, featuring over 200 objects by artists including Claire Falkenstein, Audrey Handler, Margie Jervis, Susie Krasnican, Kathleen Mulcahy, Ginny Ruffner, Ruth Tamura, and Toots Zynsky.
The exhibition matters because it addresses a significant gap in art historical scholarship by highlighting the overlooked contributions of women to the American Studio Glass Movement, a field historically dominated by male artists. By presenting the first comprehensive survey of women's work from this pivotal period, the Corning Museum of Glass is reshaping the narrative of glass art and acknowledging the diverse voices that helped define the medium.