Hope Floats

As the saying goes, “Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will.” Through optimism and positive action, creating a sense of hope and supporting each other as we all feel the many impacts of the coronavirus pandemic is an essential call to action.

Many of those in our local Seattle community are feeling the additional stress of financial uncertainty with sudden layoffs, furloughs and the immediate concern of being able to pay for basic living expenses such as monthly rent and utilities.

Glass Eye Studio, a Ballard-based glass studio that has employed glass artists since its inception in Pike Place Market in 1978, is launching an online fundraiser to support local artists in need, with 100% of proceeds raised supporting Artist Trust’s new emergency grant program.

The Glass Eye team, led by Chris Steffens, Marina Marioni, Chuck Lopez and Creative Director Piper O'Neill and other notable local glass artists including Dehanna Jones and Ryan Blythe, donated their time and resources to create a limited edition beautiful handblown glass float featuring a navigational star on the bottom foot.

The Hope Float is emblematic of Seattle’s sense of community and our collective determination to get through the pandemic together.

“Social distancing has not erased our sense of community—we need to help one another, now more than ever. Our Hope Float is one small way of helping those in financial distress and the intent is that other local business owners and local consumers will use their resources and ingenuity to keep hope and optimism afloat as we go through these unsettling times” says Glass Eye Studio owner, Billy O’Neill.

With a goal of helping those in immediate financial crisis, this limited edition of 1000 is available  online for $100 per float. All proceeds will be managed and dispersed by Artist Trust, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping Washington State artists thrive. Artist Trust is raising funds to creat an emergency response fund for artists in financial need due to the COVID-19 crisis. To donate directly visit www.artisttrust.org.

For more information, please contact:

erin@glasseye.com | Erin Peterson, Glass Eye Studio

goetz@artisttrust.org | Kristina Goetz, Artist Trust