Asheville, NC Celebrates Studio Glass' 50th Anniversary

North Carolina's Bender Gallery, located in the hip arts city of Asheville, will host an exhibition that will celebrate the diversity of glass as an artistic medium since the inception of the American Studio Glass Movement in 1962. New works made expressly for the exhibition along with work never before shown by thirty two regional and national as well as Canadian glass artists will be on display. 

Erwin Timmers "Banding Together"

 
"Divergent Visions: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of American Studio Glass" will showcase the various techniques of glass art inspired by each individual artist's unique vision and interpretation. There will be an extensive variety of contemporary art glass on exhibit including delicate flame-worked sculpture; tactile kiln cast glass, hot formed glass pieces, gauzy pate de verre and glass "painting" with vitreous enamel.

The Bender Gallery will host an opening reception from 5-8 p.m. Thursday June 7, 2012.

Erwin Timmers "More or Less"

The "king of recycling" - ErwinTimmers' striking glass sculptures made from recycled glass are featured.

Janis Miltonberger "Between Worlds"

Also in the gallery are new flame-worked glass sculptures by Janis Miltenberger.


The Bender Gallery is located at 12 S Lexington Avenue in Asheville, North Carolina. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 am - 5 pm and Sunday from 12 pm - 5 pm. For inquiries call 828-505-8341.

Saturday - Meet the Artists @ Artomatic

This Saturday is the "Meet the Artists" night at DC's Artomatic Art Fair - from 7 - 9 pm.

The James Renwick Alliance will also host a reception at Artomatic on Saturday, June 2 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in the JRA Education Room, #1106, on the 11th floor. Many of artists whose work was selected the JRA as recipients of the Award of Excellence will be at the reception - starting around  6 PM. At the Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation Room on the 3rd floor @ 7:30pm, they will announce the Department’s purchases of artwork by Prince George's County artists for the Department's permanent collection - for a bit of art excitement!

See you there!

Dave D'Orio / glass / Level 8

Michael Janis  / glass / Level 2

Sean Hennessey /glass / Level 9

Donna McCullough / metal / Level 1

Artomatic 

1851 S. Bell Street, Arlington, VA, 22202 

(one block from Yellow Line Metro - Crystal City stop)

Free 

The Process: Taking a Mold From Historic Bronze Doors

With the Memorial Day Weekend here, a blog posting that touches on themes of American Art & history is in order.

Library of Congress, Washington, DC, Adams Building

The Process looks at how the Washington Glass Studio artists are recreating the original, historic bronze doors from the Library of Congress (LOC) Adams Building in kiln-cast glass. 
As mentioned in an earlier post, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) oversees this landmark building, and they sought out ways to provide up-to-date functional aspects for their structures, all while balancing the requirement for maintaining the artistic legacy of its buildings - a daunting task in an ever changing world. Their design for the LOC Adams building was to have the historic bronze entry doors (that could not be brought up to code) set in the "open" position, and install new code-compliant functional glass doors for the public access - with the glass doors designed to reference the original door sculptures. (Click HERE to jump to link post of sculpted bronze door features.) Washington Glass Studio is creating the new cast glass panels, and this edition of The Process looks at how the molds are being taken from the original doors in-situ. 

Sean Hennessey, the master caster, sets up his mold making equipment and preps the doors.

The LOC was very concerned that the mold taking process could adversely impact the patina of the bronze doors, so before any work on the doors was completed, testing of the materials and release agents were conducted on an inconspicuous section of the backside of the doors.

A section of the door backside was tested for any reaction to the materials.

The sample came off with no residue or impact to the original  bronze finish.

Given the go-ahead, Sean enjoys a day in the sun.

The bronze door area surrounding the bas-relief is masked off. 

Care is taken for the surrounding area. Sean shown here assisted by Erin Cumbo.

The layering of the silicone rubber mold material starts.

The mold is allowed to set-up until firm, and then peeled off.

"Mother Mold" material is added to give structural strength to the casting.

The finished rubber mold.

The molds will later be used to create the original forms for the kiln-casting process - more about the glass casting process in later postings!.

Sculptural Glass Tours at Artomatic

Sean Hennessey leads a tour of Sculptural Glass at Washington, DC's Artomatic Art Fair

The Washington DC Metro area has a robust sculptural glass community spearheaded by the Washington Glass School and DC Glassworks. Sean Hennessey, resident artist at the Washington Glass School will be giving tours showcasing select examples of the works coming from these studios, as well as works of other glass artists in the DC region.  

Date: Sundays thru June 17, 2012

Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm

Location: Meet in Lobby of Artomatic @ 1851 S. Bell Street, Crystal City, VA, 22202 (one block from Yellow Line Metro - Crystal City stop)

Free to the Public

Glass Art Magazine features Fulbright Scholars Michael Janis & Tim Tate's UK Assignment

The recent issue of Glass Art Magazine features all of the Washington Glass School's co- directors in the latest issue and online. 

Michael Janis' work on the cover and his profile as the centerfold story, and the same issue also features Erwin Timmers work across a five page story on his work in ecologically sustainable artwork. The magazine's online website now features a new story on Michael and Tim Tate's work as Fulbright Scholars in England, while at the University of Sunderland, the National Glass Centre, the London AAF, and Creative Cohesion studios. 

The article has a great synopsis of the differences between the US & UK approach to the artistic medium of glass and also has some photos of Jeffrey Sarmiento joining Michael's sgraffito class. Click HERE to jump to Glass Art Magazine's downloadable pdf of the article.

The Fulbright program has announced its new awards - have a read!

The Fulbright Commission US Scholar Awards for 2013-14 are now open. The US Scholar Awards offer US academics and professionals the chance to undertake research and/or teaching at any accredited UK higher education institution. Opportunities are available for college and university faculty as well as for professionals, artists, journalists, scientists, lawyers, independent scholars and many others. As well as an All-disciplines award they also have specific partner awards. 

If you in going to a UK university through the Fulbright programme to contribute to research and/or teaching then please take a look at the awards on offer - or if you know of any US scholars or professionals that would be interested then pass this information on to them.

Fulbright Awards offer generous financial support for academic projects in the UK. Additionally, Fulbright scholars in the UK are invited to participate in a wide range of events, and benefit from a variety of additional opportunities and support provided by the Fulbright Commission. Fulbright scholars also benefit from an extensive range of alumni and global networking opportunities after their exchange.

The application deadline is Wednesday, August 1, 2012. For eligibility requirements and detailed award descriptions please consult our webpages: http://www.fulbright.org.uk/fulbright-awards/exchanges-to-the-uk/scholars-and-professionals/all-disciplines-scholar-awards

JRA / Artomatic 2012 Workshops

The panel discussion How Experts Determine What Works of Art Stand out was organized by Giselle Huberman, left. Panels were Nancy Weisser, Judy Weisman, Tim Tate and Cynthia Boyer, not pictured.

The James Renwick Allinace (JRA) held a fun talk at Artomatic this past weekend - titled "How Experts Determine What Works of Art Stand Out".
Some other JRA events coming up at Artomatic at the JRA Education Room, 1106 (on the 11^th Floor) incude: 
·      June 2 at 5:00 to 7:00 PM – a JRA reception scheduled for Artomatic’s “Meet the Artists” Night planned for 7:00 to 9:00 PM.

·        ·      June  22 at 8:00 PM – The public is invited to join a panel of JRA Award of Excellence winners as they discuss their work.
  

     Check out all the Artomatic events coming up - click HERE!

James Renwick Alliance Selects its Artomatic Favs

The James Renwick Alliance (JRA) is an independent national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing scholarship and education on contemporary American craft, to supporting activities directed toward this purpose, and to encouraging connoisseurship and collecting. The JRA assists the Smithsonian American Art Museum in adding to its permanent collection of American craft. For over 25 years, the JRA has supported activities and programs involving hundreds of artists, art supporters, galleries, and partnering institutions from across the nation and around the world.
As part of their mission for the arts, the JRA are sponsors of a workshop/reception "Renwick Alliance Room" in the huge DC Arts Fair - Artomatic. Located on the 11th Floor of the festival, the JRA has planned workshops and talks throughout the month long run of the show (thru June 23). 


Members of the JRA has also went thru the 10 floors of artwork - selecting their Top 10 media-based artists for their 2012 Artomatic "Award of Excellence". 

James Renwick Alliance 

Recognition of Excellence 

ARTOMATIC 2012

Artist	Work	Type	Floor	Location
Brad Taylor	Chaise	Wood and Metal Furniture	8	305
David D’Orio	Installation	Mixed Media (Glass)	8	147
Donna McCullough	Body of Work	Metal Sculpture	1	152
Helen Baribeau	Body of Work	Fiber Sculpture	4	121
Julia Bloom	Installation	Wood Sculpture	7	208
Matt MacIntire	Body of Work	Mixed Media	9	160
Michael Janis	Body of Work	Glass	2	173
Pierre Davis	Body of Work	Wood Sculpture	10	152
Sean Hennessey	Body of Work	Glass	9	141
Zofie Lang	Installation	Mixed Media	9	112

Congrats to the WGS/DC Glass artists & all the artists involved in the huge event!
And a big hug to the James Renwick Alliance!


The James Renwick Alliance welcomes the public to join them in a pre meet-the-artists-night reception. Mingle with other craft lovers! 
The JRA will be distributing maps they have created to help you find the media-based artists of Artomatic.
Saturday June 2
5:00pm-7:00pm
The Renwick Alliance Room, 11th floor

Art Extravaganza Artomatic 2012 Opens!

Artomatic is a month-long art festival in the Washington, DC area that is "by artists, for everyone." It is an unjuried arts show that  features 10 floors of art by more than 1,000 artists. The artists have taken over a building in Crystal City (right at the Crystal City metro stop - yellow line). The diversity of artwork and performances attract the broadest range of people, providing a forum to come together and illustrate the energy, vitality and strength of the arts in the community.

DC area artists take over 10 floors of Arlington, VA office building 

No matter what kind of creative events you like, you will find something for you at Artomatic - visual arts, music, performance, film, fashion, and more. There will be workshops, tours, art seminars and other events held there all month long. 

Artists have been working to transform the mundane into into an arts space that is choc-a-bloc with treats that require discovery.

No matter what kind of creative events you like, you will find something for you at Artomatic. Sean Hennessy's mixed media artwork combines glass, concrete and LED  lighting. Sean is on Level 9

From the chaos of art - a moment of sublime.
Tim Tate and Pete Duvall's video installation on  Level 10.

This (free to the public) show mandates that you visit more than once - there is simply too much to see and do in one visit. 

 Artomatic 2012

May 18 - June 23

1851 S Bell St.

Arlington, VA 22202

Smith Center Presents SOFAlab Acts of Translation

SOFAlab: Acts of Translation 

-Opens Friday, May 18, 7-9pm 

Acts of Translation Between Art, Science, and Medicine

 As mentioned in earlier post - Smith Center for Healing and the Arts has been host for SOFAlab - "Science of Art Laboratory" - created to initiate the spark of communication and to look for commonalities that can bring out new understanding and develop new tools of interactions from both the sciences and arts. The collaborative project  created will be unveiled this coming Friday - at 7 pm. 
 
SOFAlab Panelists:
Caroline Wellbery, Medical Doctor, Associate Professor, Georgetown University, PhD in Comparative Literature

Erwin Timmers, Green Artist, MFA Design Arts and Architecture, Co-founder Washington Glass School

The panels intended to illuminate new ways of thinking by showcasing conversations that bridge the healing arts, environmental realities, neuro-sciences and collaborative networking in the creation of art; and conversely to examine effective new scientific and medical observations, answering questions about how art and science instruct and help one another in raising awareness about environmental responsibility in the area of health care.

Looking at the collaborative efforts of three teams of artists and scientists, the evening will unfold their various conversations and inquiries as they have worked together to explore new avenues of awareness.

The collaborative team led by Caroline Wellbery and Erwin Timmers considered medical waste and its environmental impact. By looking at areas of concern that mutually affect artists and healers, they have developed conversations and questions about how art and science instruct and help one another in raising awareness about environmental responsibility in the area of health care.

The panel is funded by George Mason University's Center for Consciousness and Transformation and coordinated by Shanti Norris, Smith Center for Healing and the Arts; Paul So, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study at George Mason University; Helen Frederick, School of Art, George Mason University; and Hamiltonian Gallery. Interns Alex Giller, Aaron Van Andel, Scott Jemielity and Erwin Thamm assisted the program in 2011-12.

Opens Friday, May 18, 7-9pm 

SMITH CENTER FOR HEALING AND THE ARTS : community. creativity. cancer support.

1632 U Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009 

Erwin Timmers finishes up the mounting of the collaborative artwork that deals with issues of medical waste.