Tim Drier

A master of material and imagination, Tim Drier (American, b. 1965) is celebrated for his precision-made scientific glassware and his visionary fusion of art, science, and design. With a career spanning more than three decades, Drier’s work reflects a rare balance of technical mastery and creative ingenuity—where the discipline of laboratory craft meets the poetry of form and function. Beginning his career as a journeyman and evolving into a master glassblower within the scientific research community, Drier has spent a lifetime refining his skills in the demanding art of flameworking. His collections merge chemistry and engineering into sculptural compositions that are at once whimsical, architectural, and intelligent, inviting both visual and sensory engagement. Best known for his Barware Reimagined series, Drier transforms authentic elements of laboratory glass into experimental vessels that celebrate the “effervescent dance of carbonated beverages as both visual joy and taste.” His works transcend conventional notions of craft, appealing equally to collectors, connoisseurs, and design enthusiasts drawn to their precision and playful sophistication. Drier’s artistry has been recognized and exhibited by leading institutions including The Corning Museum of Glass, The Pittsburgh Glass Center, and The University of Michigan, where his contributions have influenced the dialogue between scientific glass and contemporary art. In addition to his studio practice, he has shared his expertise as an instructor and demonstrator across the country, including teaching at The Studio of The Corning Museum of Glass and the Pittsburgh Glass Center. Meticulously crafted yet full of imagination, Tim Drier’s glassworks embody the meeting point of science, skill, and wonder; a celebration of invention made visible.