Stunning Stained Glass Dome Making Its World Debut In Bucks Co.

DOYLESTOWN, PA — A stunning eight-foot-tall stained-glass dome, created by internationally known glass artist Judith Schaechter, will make its world debut at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown when "Judith Schaechter: Super/Natural" opens to the public on Saturday, April 12.

On view from April 12 to September 14 in the Beans Gallery, the immersive stained-glass environment, also titled Super/Natural, represents a “three-tiered cosmos” that explores the idea of biophilia, the human tendency to connect with nature.

Schaechter, who lives and works in Philadelphia, produced "Super/Natural" during a year-and-a-half artist-in-residence at the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics. While creating the multi-tiered masterpiece of glass craft, she attended lab meetings with a pioneering team of researchers and scientists who study the neural and biological basis of aesthetic experiences. Their research, and Schaechter’s recent work, explores relationships between art, beauty, morality, and the brain.

The "Super/Natural" dome’s 65 panels are filled with a riot of imagined insects, flora, plants, and birds, encouraging visitors to imagine themselves subsumed in the natural world, with all its beauty, violence, decay, and growth. The central stained-glass structure, reminiscent of a church, creates a sublime sanctuary space for the secular.

“My goal is to invite viewers into a deeply personal, immersive experience that explores the connections between self, nature, and imagination,” Schaechter said. “We are ultimately connected to, not just observing, nature.”

Curated by Laura Turner Igoe, Ph.D., the Michener Art Museum’s Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest Chief Curator, "Judith Schaechter: Super/Natural" features nine additional stained-glass pieces by Schaechter to complement the dome and provide a context for the debut of her new work.

These pieces similarly examine the cultural construction of nature, and are presented along with a series of drawings and sketches related to the "Super/Natural" dome.

“It was thrilling to work with Judith on this exhibition and see the Super/Natural dome evolve over the past couple of years,” Igoe said. “Through the dome and other pieces on view in "Judith Schaechter: Super/Natural," Judith embraces awe and wonder in order to encourage viewers to consider their own relationship with the natural world.”

Schaechter’s work is collected internationally and included in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Smithsonian, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Hermitage in Russia, along with numerous others. Among other honors, Schaechter was inducted into the American Craft Council of College Fellows in 2013, received a lifetime achievement award from the Glass Art Society in 2022, and was the recipient of the Smithsonian Visionary Award in 2024.

“The Michener is honored to be the first institution to exhibit Judith Schaechter’s Super/Natural,” said Michener Art Museum executive director Anne Corso. “Schaechter’s work honors the tradition of stained glass and yet pushes the boundaries of the medium with her intricate process and complex imagery — it is truly awe-inspiring.”

The public will have a chance to meet the artist on Saturday, April 12, during the public opening of the exhibit. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and hours for interior viewing of the Super/Natural dome are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The exhibit is on view from April 12 to September 14. Hours for interior viewing of the dome are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

On Easter Sunday, April 20, the museum and all exhibitions are open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The exhibition is included with general admission. Click here for details and to order tickets.

"Judith Schaechter: Super/Natural" is supported by the Gorsky Family, Rago/Wright, with additional support from Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, M&T Charitable Foundation, and an anonymous donor. The Super/Natural dome will next appear in an exhibition presented by the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco, California.

Special Events During The Exhibit

• Make & Mingle: Metal Tooling inspired by Judith Schaechter, Thursday, May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $40 for members and $50 for non-members. The one-night workshop explores metal tooling inspired by the vibrant flora and fauna in Schaechter’s stained-glass art. Learn to manipulate soft metal sheets, creating textured designs that reflect nature’s beauty. Designed for all abilities; no previous skills required!.
• Art After Dark: Kaleidoscope of Colors, Thursday, May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is free for members and included with general admission to the museum. Enjoy a fun, casual evening at the museum. With live music, cash bar, and a self-guided scavenger hunt, explore the museum's galleries through the lens of colors. Weather permitting, bar and music will be outdoors. Bar service available to those 21+ only. No outside alcohol permitted.
• Artist Talk with Judith Schaechter, Wednesday, May 14 from 1–2 p.m. The cost is $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Hear from the artist herself about her unique glass practice and how the dome project came to life through a pairing with Penn Medicine’s Center for Neuroaesthetics.
• Beyond Words Book Club: The Glassmaker, Thursday, June 5 from 6:30–8 p.m. and Thursday, July 17 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The cost is $10 for members and $20 for non-members (per session). For lovers of reading and art, Beyond Words is a chance to explore literary selections through thoughtful conversation and gallery selections. The Glassmaker, by Tracy Chevalier, will be paired with pieces from Schaechter’s exhibition. Explore connections between Chevalier’s tale of glassmakers and their connection to Schaechter’s pieces and practice.