Oben Abright believes being an artist is not just a profession but rather a lifestyle and identity. A third-generation member of his family born in San Francisco, the bustling city is still his favorite muse and remains a testament to his own story. The figurative sculptor specializes in glass to translate his daily interactions with people on city streets into powerful glass figure portraits. Abright’s lifelong passion for beholding beauty in thoughtfully crafted art is shared with Highland Park whisky.
Being raised in a ceramics studio and attending galleries on Sutter St. with his father compelled Abright to pursue an artistic career himself. In high school, he visited the DeYoung Museum for a George and Dorothy Saxe Collection show titled The Art of Craft. There he discovered the acclaimed Northern Irish glass sculptor Clifford Rainey’s work. “I had never seen figurative glass sculpture and that show changed my life,” Abright says. The aspiring artist went on to attend the California College of Arts only to learn that the Saxes were patrons of CCA’s glass program and had brought on Rainey to become its department chair. Abright quickly changed his major from painting to glass and received one-on-one mentorship in glass sculpting from Rainey. And when the graduate rented out a gallery to showcase his final BFA work, the Saxes bought two of his pieces to become a part of the very collection that inspired Abright’s career.
The Oakland-based sculptor uses a unique design process to bring his personal observations to fruition. Abright begins his creations with clay wax plaster or textile to form master molds which are then transferred into glass. “I choose the process that best conveys the desired metaphor of the glass being,” says the sculptor. His masterpieces incorporate various materials such as bronze, steel, cast concrete and even digital media. “That material interplay [within glass] is often my favorite part of sculpture.”
Abright sees whisky like art as both possess a language of their own. “[Whisky] takes on character from its environment and is amplified through the process of creation, which requires time and patience to achieve the desired result,” he explains. The Highland Park 21 Year Old is his whisky of choice, as its full-bodied finish is thanks to a meticulous aging process in sherry-seasoned, European oak casks. Abright adds, “The palate is smooth, a bit creamy with integrated flavors of fruit and honey and a mouth-coating, smokey slow finish.”
Whether he’s relaxing in Palm Desert or celebrating after a new show opening at Austin Art Projects, the sculptor knows Highland Park 21 Year Old tastes better when paired with a special occasion. He reserves a small low round glass that is hand blown to display the rich color of his favored whisky sips.
Visit highlandparkwhisky.com to find your own sip of inspiration.
Photography by: Christophe Testi
