This Meet the Artist lecture by Beth Lipman was recorded on June 11, 2007. Lipman creates hand-sculpted still lifes in glass, which most often take the form of sumptuous foods and/or fragile tablewares arranged on a base, in a frame, and later, on tables and other furnishings. Her works explore ideas about the immortalization of ephemeral things, such as perishable produce, brittle vessels, or personal memories. Her work is inspired by 17th-century Dutch still-life painting in which the presentation of beautifully composed game, fish, cheeses, shellfish, fruits, and vegetables is symbolic of the passing of time, mortality, and the transience of earthly achievements. Note: the audio quality of this videocast improves after the first 5 minutes. This lecture was a part of the Museum's popular Meet the Artist series.