Glass artist files countersuit

SEATTLE – One of two glass artists accused in a copyright-infringement lawsuit of selling Dale Chihuly knockoffs has asked a federal judge for permission to continue making the pieces.

Chihuly filed a lawsuit last October against former Chihuly Inc. employee Bryan Rubino, glass artist and broker Robert Kaindl, and four galleries that sold Rubino’s work. Chihuly has alleged the two would select his designs and Rubino would make them for Kaindl to sell.

Rubino, a former Chihuly glassblower, filed a counterclaim Thursday in U.S. District Court asking that he be allowed to continue making lopsided glass forms in any color he chooses.

He alleges Chihuly is trying to claim “a monopoly on any and all glass art that is curved, nested or uses certain kinds of colors. (Chihuly) cannot use copyright registrations to protect an idea or process that is so elementary that it would preclude any other glass artist from working or creating any glass art at all.”