Janis Miltenberger’s exhibition "Productive Uncertainty" presents an immersive body of glasswork that weaves together storytelling, science, and the natural world. Known for her fragile yet intricate lampworked sculptures, Miltenberger approaches glass as a narrative medium—each piece functioning as an allegory that invites viewers to uncover meaning through personal interpretation. Drawing on fables, parables, and symbolic systems, her work reflects a belief that stories are living structures, completed by the imagination of the audience.

The exhibition brings together new works organized into three interconnected groupings: "Works in Blue", a series of grief-inflected wall pieces; "The Doctrine of Signatures", inspired by historical medicinal beliefs linking plant forms to bodily healing; and "An Intimate Area", featuring large-scale standing sculptures. Across these groupings, Miltenberger explores humanity’s ancient desire to understand and care for the world through observation, pattern, and symbol.

Her process begins with a sketch, but the act of heating, bending, and shaping borosilicate glass often leads to unexpected outcomes. Embellishments such as leaves and flowers, sandblasted surfaces, and subtle applications of paint lend the work a textured, painterly presence. Ranging from hummingbird-scale details to human-sized forms, these luminous objects combine whimsy and gravity, refracting light into stories that speak to fragility, curiosity, and our shared search for meaning.

Artist Statement:
My latest work is a result of my interest in our ancient methods of understanding the natural world. How we have relied on symbology and the unique appearances of plants, animals, and other life form’s signatures, to guide us and our wellbeing. Studies at Pilchuck ignited my passions for lampworking. This fragile realm is where I have worked for the last 25 years.