Emily Lombardo, born in 1977, in Long Island, New York, grew up in the rural hills of Western Massachusetts. Lombardo left her country life to pursue artistic endeavors throughout the United States and finally landed in Boston Massachusetts where she received her BFA in Glass from the Massachusetts College of Art in 2002. While at Mass Art, Lombardo divided her time between the glass and the printmaking departments, where she developed her unique glass printing techniques. Lombardo continued to expand her visual language at Pilchuck Glass School, working with a wide range of professional artists of all mediums. Her work is so versatile; she exhibits with painters, printers, and sculptors. She also works as a glass fabricator for many local Boston artists. Lombardo started the kiln forming studio at Diablo Glass School in 2002 where she taught a unique range of classes to adults and community youth programs.
   
 

Glass is used as windows into personal space, mirrors to see one’s self or the world just beyond our sight. I use glass to reflect the irony of the human condition. As a child I was obsessed with political cartoons. I had no idea why I felt compelled to copy these drawings, but even then I was struck by the ironic use of cartooning too reveal a deep message. The cartoon served as a passive tool to force the reader to wake up and face a societal darkness. I now use glass in a similar fashion. Glass, as an art medium, is traditionally beautiful with a strong lean towards high craft. There is no doubt that the slick beauty of my glass pulls the viewer in and then what they are confronted with is thought provoking, soliciting varying emotional responses. My commentary is intended to over come the preciousness of the medium. In other words: “My glass isn’t always pretty, once you get to know her.” .
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