Can you tell me more about what you are looking for regarding "professional craft communities" relating to glass?
One possibility is to look at the Pilchuck Glass School community, to examine how it started, how it has changed over time/with technological changes, and to consider how it has influenced the Seattle area glass community.
This book is a great place to start that inquiry:
Oldknow, Tina. Pilchuck : a glass school / Tina Oldknow ; with a foreword by Maya Lin and an interview with Dale Chihuly by Patterson Sims. Seattle : Pilchuck Glass School in association with the University of Washington Press, c1996. 293 p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 284-287) and index. Location: Stacks ; Call Number: NK5198 .O44
It would be interesting to interview glass artists and galleries in the Seattle area for their insights.
If this suggestion is too specific, please let me know and I will be glad to work with you to find resources of interest.
Best wishes,
