Bullseye Gallery, Portland

Bullseye Gallery was created by Bullseye Glass Company, founded in 1974 by three art-school graduates interested in producing coloured glass for artists. The company emerged during a period of growing environmental awareness following Oregon’s Bottle Bill and developed an unusually open approach to glassmaking knowledge. Rather than guarding formulas and techniques, its founders shared research with artists, helping expand kiln-formed glass as a fine art medium.

Bullseye became known for producing consistently compatible coloured glass that could be fused without cracking as different colours cooled. Its sheets, powders, rods, and other materials gave artists greater freedom to combine colour, transparency, texture, and light. Research was often driven by collaboration. Projects with Jun Kaneko encouraged the development of large clear blocks and panels, while the 1993 Connections programme brought artists such as Klaus Moje and Lino Tagliapietra into the factory to experiment with mineral-based colours and new processes.

The public gallery closed in 2019, and its programme now operates as Bullseye Projects. The physical space is accessible by appointment rather than regular walk-in hours. Its work continues through touring exhibitions, art fairs, museum partnerships, and architectural commissions developed with Bullseye Studio, including large glass panels and site-specific installations.