The 2022 Artist of the Year is Annie Morhauser, founder of Annieglass, a highly successful line of glass tableware and sculpture sold worldwide.
Annie Morhauser
Handcrafting her glassware in Santa Cruz County since 1983, she developed her company to become one of the largest and most successful American glass studios.
By combining skills as a designer, artisan, and businesswoman, Morhauser has built a highly regarded brand and has been featured in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, Scotland, and the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York. She has won numerous design awards and patents.
Annieglass can be purchased in the finest stores, and is collected by chefs, celebrities, bridal couples and many loyal local customers.
Next year, she will celebrate 40 years of creating sculptural glassware with her skilled team of artisans.
For 36 years, the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission has presented the award to a local artist for outstanding achievement in performing, visual, or literary arts and who has made a substantial contribution to the cultural enrichment of Santa Cruz County.
She has accomplished something rare: Crossing over into the commercial world while tenaciously retaining her fine art approach.
Her downtown Santa Cruz store was one of the first to reopen after the 1989 earthquake, despite the destruction of more than four tons of glass in her studio.
Annie Morhauser signs her works in her Watsonville studio.
The Annieglass studio, originally 400 square feet in the Old Sash Mill in Santa Cruz, is now a manufacturing facility of more than 16,000 square feet at 310 Harvest Drive in Watsonville. Tours of the factory are available on Saturdays.
Twice each year a new collection is introduced. Annieglass has invigorated the ancient craft of glassmaking with new technology and original design.
Morhauser came to Santa Cruz in 1977. She learned glassblowing at the College of San Mateo and San Francisco State University before receiving a scholarship to the glass program as a student of Marvin Lipofsky at the California College of Arts and Crafts, now called the California College of the Arts. She serves there now as an advisor, donor and board trustee.
In 2017, Annie launched The Craftbar with her daughter Ava Reinhold, hosting workshops in arts and crafts, which functions as a community beacon. The Annieglass retail store and website offers all of the Annieglass collections as well the work by other well-known and local craft artists.
Over 400 nonprofits annually receive cash and in-kind donations, including Jacob’s Heart, Girls Inc., Digital Nest, Planned Parenthood of Mar Monte, Salud Para La Gente, Watsonville Film Festival, Second Harvest Food Bank, and the Museum of Art and History. Over 40 scholarships have been awarded to students in need.
Annie’s son, Taylor Reinhold, follows in the family footsteps of art and community service. He recently directed the Sea Walls Santa Cruz murals.
A free “Profile Performance” will take place in fall 2022. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the location and format of the performance will be determined at a later date. Check the Parks Department website in summer 2022.
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For more information, including how to nominate an artist for the award, visit www.scparks.com.