Simon Pearce Is Releasing a New Book in September

Simon making a round wine glass in his Ireland workshop in the 1970s / Photo provided by Simon Pearce

You can’t talk about glassblowing in New England without referencing Simon Pearce. His Newbury Street store exhibits dazzling displays of craftsmanship— and that glimmering glass-filled glee is kicked up a notch at the flagship store in Queechee, Vermont, where visitors can observe glassblowing firsthand inside his mill.

In September, a new book called SIMON PEARCE: Design For Living presents the timeless designs of the Irish-American glassware maker, chronicling his journey beginning as a potter in County Cork, Ireland, to transporting his trade to Vermont. Following his first book, The Way of Living, Design for Living is a discussion of Pearce’s influences led by Simon Pearce, Ltd.’s creative director, Glenn Suokko.

Photo by John Sherman

Widely know for his clean, contemporary stemware, bowls, and vases, Peace first began his glassblowing business in Ireland in 1971. He had early ambitions to become a potter, but switched to glassblowing after realizing his strong admiration for a friend’s collection of antique Irish hand-blown glass. He set up his first glassmaking facility at Bennettsbridge in County Kilkenny, and moved operations to the United States in 1980.

The soon-to-be-released book is meant to celebrate Pearce’s most iconic pieces from his 40-year career, both individually and as part of elegant table settings. It features profiles of the artists that Pearce turns to for inspiration, as well as an in-depth look into his home, his mill, and its attached restaurant.

When it comes to handcrafted glassworks, the Simon Pearce aesthetic is defined in two words: beautiful and functional. This definition is woven throughout all of his work over the past four decades. It’s especially evident in his tableware, since Pearce has always valued the comfort and significance of gathering around a table. The book displays the individuality and character that Pearce instills in his glass, which in turn, seek to create simple and sophisticated moments in the home.

SIMON PEARCE: Design for Living, Glenn Suokko, Rizzoli New York, 2016.

The Simon Pearce Mill in Quechee, Vermont / Photo provided by Simon Pearce