Vitreography is the process of making prints with plates not made of metal or wood, but glass. It's an art form that gained traction about 30 years ago at the famed Pilchuck Glass School near Seattle, and the Chrysler is pleased to mount the first large-scale exhibition of these works.

Featuring prints by artists from around the world, all created during their time at the venerable glass school, this exhibition will be on view April 21–Sept. 17, 2017. Admission is free.

Printmaking emerged at Pilchuck Glass School thanks to the influence of two individuals. Harvey Littleton, a Studio Glass movement pioneer, first taught vitreography at Pilchuck in 1987. He was followed by Elizabeth Tapper, a Pacific Northwest artist, who shared her printmaking expertise. When the school established a print shop in 1990, they named it in Tapper's honor.

Pilchuck Prints is the first large-scale exhibition of these of rarely seen prints. Planned with the assistance of Pilchuck's Artistic Director, Tina Aufiero, the exhibition represents more than 50 artists, including Aufiero herself, Terry Adkins, Jane Bruce, Squeak Carnwath, Nick Cave, Dale Chihuly, Judy Chicago, Mona Hatoum, Joey Kirkpatrick and Flora Mace, Stanislav Libensky, Maya Lin, Paul Marioni, Richard Marquis, Tony Oursler, Judith Schaechter, Italo Scango, Kiki Smith, Akio Takamori, Oiva Toikka, Ulrica Hydman-Vallien, and Ann Wolff.

"Glass is a great material for printing for a number of reasons," Aufiero said. "It's relatively easy to transfer drawings to clear glass, and inks don't react to glass like they do with metal, so you get colors that are bright and true. Printing with glass plates doesn't require the use of solvents, and clean-up is easier. You can also work in a variety of techniques, such as using a cut or carved glass plate to emboss your print."