Maker’s Mark, glass artists teaming up for one-of-a-kind bottles
Maker’s Mark fans have an opportunity to get special bottles that aren’t just rare, they’re one of a kind. Works of art even.
The catch: There’s no bourbon inside.
The Kentucky craft distillery is partnering with Centre College to honor late glass artist Stephen Rolfe Powell. Twenty artists, many former proteges of the Centre art professor, contributed special pieces of art to an online auction that will raise money for the Stephen Rolfe Powell Memorial Fund to support the hot-glass program at Centre College that Powell started.
Each of the 80 pieces is based on a replica of the iconic Maker’s Mark bottle. Many are wildly colored; some have glass ornamentation.
Before his death in March, Powell had been planning with Rob Samuels, Maker’s Mark chief distillery officer, a special exhibit at the distillery in Loretto. That showcase went forward this summer, featuring some works never displayed before.
Several of Powell’s students approached Centre with the idea of a “Maker’s” art auction to help make sure the hot glass program he founded at Centre in 1985 would continue to thrive. A small private auction of a similar pieces held at the distillery on Nov. 16 raised more than $21,000.
The larger auction will conclude on Dec. 16; items can be viewed at one.bidpal.net/powellauction/browse/all.
Che Rhodes, a student of Powell’s who graduated from Centre in 1995, said Powell’s influence is felt across the Commonwealth. “He’s really responsible for the glass scene in Kentucky ... He’s the true pioneer of Kentucky’s studio glass movement,” said Rhodes, who now teaches glass-blowing at the University of Louisville. The program at Centre, which has exposed hundreds of students to the glass arts, “is pretty unique.”
But Powell’s personality and his generosity of spirit were as important as his skill, Rhodes said. “His enthusiasm was most impactful. He inspired dedication.”
Powell was the inspiration the auction, too. Rhodes said that when Powell was planning the distillery exhibition, he mentioned to Rob Samuels that “it might be interesting to do something with the Maker’s Mark bottle molds,” Rhodes said. While that never came to fruition, Samuels brought the concept to Powell’s wife, Shelly. And glass artists were eager to help.
“The molds that we used to make the bottles are the molds that are used in the industrial factory where the real bottles are blown by a machine,” Rhodes said. “Everyone had an opportunity to blow by hand the bottle and then enhance the design.”
This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 1:21 PM.
