The Contemporary Craft wing contains three distinct expansive galleries—two permanent collection galleries and one designated for temporary exhibitions. Artwork by some of the most significant contemporary glass artists and ceramicists from all over the world are on permanent display. Included in these galleries are objects from a long-term loan of twenty-first-century glass from the Isabel Foundation of the Sherwin and Shirley Glass glass collection, gifts of contemporary ceramics from Dr. Robert and Deanna Harris Burger, and works from the museum’s permanent collection. 

Glass

This collection includes 88 contemporary glass artists from the Glass Glass Collection, on loan from the Isabel Foundation. Amassed during a ten-year period by Atlanta-based collectors Sherwin and Shirley Glass, this contemporary glass collection represents the greatest achievements by a large and diverse group of important national and international artists, including Lino Tagliapietra, Howard Ben Tré, Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova, William Morris, and Karen LaMonte, to name just a few. Additionally, works by artists Dale Chihuly, Dante Marioni, and Kari Russell-Pool, are also part of the FIA’s permanent collection.

Ceramics

The FIA began collecting contemporary ceramics in the mid 20th century, and its collection has been substantially increased by gifts from Dr. Robert and Deanna Harris Burger. Bob and Debbie (as they are known by friends) Burger began giving selected works from their extensive collection of contemporary ceramics in 2005, and since that time, they have donated more than 200 works. Their gift served as a catalyst for the addition of the Contemporary Craft wing in 2018. Additional works of contemporary ceramics were gifted to the FIA in 2018 from the Sidney Swidler Collection.