Artist Of The Year Named In Santa Cruz County

WATSONVILLE, CA — The Santa Cruz County Arts Commission has named Annie Morhauser as the 2022 Artist of the Year.

Morhauser founded Annieglass, a line of glass tableware and sculpture sold all over the world. She has handcrafted her glassware in Santa Cruz County since 1983 and it has developed over the years to be one of the largest and most successful glass studios in the country.

“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 for her work. Annieglass can be purchased in the finest stores, and is collected by chefs, celebrities, bridal couples and many loyal local customers,” the commission said.

Morhauser’s studio expanded to a manufacturing facility in Watsonville spanning more than 16,000 square feet. There is also a retail store connected to the facility that Morhauser’s daughter runs.

“Annie 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. Next year, in 2023, she will celebrate 40 years of creating sculptural glassware with her skilled team of artisans,” the commission said.

There will be a Profile Performance on Morhauser in the fall but a date and time have yet to be set due to the pandemic. Check back at this link toward the end of summer 2022.

Morhauser is highly involved in the community and has an extensive background. Follow this link to read more about her.