Michael Janis' Solo Exhibition @ Fuller Craft Museum

Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, Massachusetts

Founded as a traditional fine arts museum and cultural center, over the past four decades the Fuller Craft Museum has transformed itself into a collection devoted entirely to crafts, one of only eight such museums in the US.
New England’s only museum of contemporary craft presents A Lighter Hand: The Glass Drawings of Michael Janis, on display Aug. 6 - Nov. 6, 2011.

One of the new works Michael has made for the exhibition is a site-specific sculpture that measures 8'-0" and will be installed in floor to ceiling window of the exhibition space.

Michael Janis Unpredictable Factors
3'-0"W x 8'-0"H x 4" fused glass, glass powder imagery, steel

Michael Janis Unpredictable Factors (detail)
3'-0"W x 8'-0"H x 4" fused glass, glass powder imagery, steel

From the Fuller Craft Museum press release:

,,,"Janis’ work is the result of a laborious and challenging process. Similar to sgraffito, where a design is scratched through a colored ground revealing another color beneath; to produce the image Janis sifts black glass powder onto sheet glass, scraping away the powder to produce the detail. The image is suspended between layers of sheet glass and fired in a kiln to fuse the constituent pieces together. In this manner any number of images can be combined to produce complex juxtapositions. The result is a collage produced entirely in glass, built from a time-consuming process allowing for an extended contemplation of his subjects.
Building on the legacy of Surrealist artists of the early 20th century, in particular Giorgio de Chirico whose paintings juxtaposed disparate objects in moody and indistinct landscapes, Janis is able to construct a contemplative feeling from the layering of seemingly inanimate objects and ambiguous characters. His images in glass, particularly those examples in a tall and narrow format, also allude to the narrative quality of stained glass.
The juxtaposition of text, symbols, and figures seem to imply a hidden message or meaning, but like an ink blot or word association Janis leaves the viewer to provide their own conclusions.
Janis lives and works in Washington, DC, where he is Co-Director and an instructor at the Washington Glass School. He first began working with glass as an architect, evident in his dedication to sheet glass and the precision draftsmanship in his drawings.

Fuller Craft will celebrate the opening of A Lighter Hand, with a public reception August 7 at 2 p.m. at the Museum. The reception is free for members and free with museum admission for all others."
A lecture by Michael Janis precedes the public reception - click HERE for more information.

The Fuller Museum is located at 455 Oak Street, Brockton, MA 02301

Visiting Artists - Melissa Stern

NY- based artist Melissa Stern has been working recently in the glass school. Best know for her mixed media sculptures and drawings, Melissa has expanded her repertoire to include glass.

Melissa's artwork is deceptive in its playful, childlike quality. Her highly imaginative (and frequently amusing) ceramic sculptures and drawings usually featuring human figures which call to mind sophisticated illustrations for children's stories. Melissa sees her work removed from specific narrative and functioning instead in terms of psychology and metaphor. As much as we would like a ceramic standing figure--feet nailed to the floor, arms holding aloft a branch upon which large birds perch--to introduce a fascinating if disturbing fable, there is no story to explain it.

Summer in the South, collage, oil paint, pencil, 12 x 9

World View , clay, acrylic, paper, graphite, encaustic, 23" x 5" x 5"

Translating her drawn imagery with the use of glass frit powder, Melissa has really taken to the process, making it her own.

Melissa Stern's fused glass frit components are assembled onto the glass panels she is creating.

Melissa and Tim Tate discuss the development of her panels.

Carving holes, tack-fusing texture, layering images - Melissa will ultimately add other non-glass elements to the glass panels she is creating.

We look forward to seeing the finished works by Melissa! And congratulations, Melissa, on becoming an adjunct professor at Brooklyn College!

Book Release Party for "100 Artists of Washington, DC"

This weekend, the book release party was held at the beautiful Conner Contemporary Art Gallery in Washington, DC. As the Mid-Atlantic sweltered in record-breaking high temperatures, the cool crowd was in force at the book reception. The book is incredible - the production quality is very high and the selection of the artists represented and the artwork included all contribute to a fantastic compendium of the best of the DC area art scene. Though I understand the first set of books from the publisher is already sold out at places like Amazon Books, more books are due soon.

Artist/Author F Lennox Campello at his book release, held at Conner Contemporary.

The crowds braved the heat to get their first look at the book.

Tim Tate waves a jaunty 'hello' to this intrepid reporter.

26th Annual Penland Auction

The 26th Penland School of Crafts Benefit Auction takes place August 12-13, 2011. This gala weekend in the North Carolina mountains featuring the sale of more than 200 works in books, clay, drawing, glass, iron, letterpress, metals, painting, photography, printmaking, textiles, and wood. The Penland auction is one of the most important craft collecting events in the Southeast and a perfect opportunity to support Penland's educational programs, which have helped thousands of people to live creative lives. Work by WGS Director Tim Tate is featured in the auction - and one of the works is previewed below.

Focus on Materials: Glass in This Year's Auction

Glass is an wonderfully versatile material that has a long been a part of functional craft and decorative art and, in the past half-century, has become increasingly important as a sculptural material. Although glass is rigid and unyielding, it is worked as a liquid or a semi-solid, making it receptive to almost any form. It can be transparent, translucent, or opaque, and it can be made virtually any color. Naturally shiny, it can be sandblasted or acid etched to produce a matte or frosted surface. Glass can be manipulated directly with tools or well-insulated hands; it can be poured, blown, or melted into molds; it can be shaped after being selectively heated over a torch. It is a material capable of seducing both the maker and the viewer.


Tim Tate Four Seasons
Blown and cast glass, electronic components, original video
18 x 36 x 8 in.
For some years, Tim Tate has been developing a unique sculptural form that combines intricate glass castings and continuous video loops (displayed on tiny monitors) enclosed in glass bell jars to create what he calls "electronic reliquaries." Through these pieces Tim has explored social issues, autobiography, cultural artifacts, and his observations of life. In this suite, he has created gentle evocations of each of the four seasons. "The piece works as a crossover between 20th and 21st century aesthetics," he says. "The lost-wax casting is very intricate and complex, using hundreds of individually cast components. This is contrasted by the very direct and compelling video selections."

Click HERE to jump to the full Auction Catalog.

For More info: call 828-765-2359, ext. 40 or email: auction@penland.org

ISGB Opens July 27.

The Glass School Gang celebrates Rob Kincheloes birthday at Franklin's Restaurant.

L-R: Michael Janis, Tim Tate, visiting artist Melissa Stern, Erwin Timmers, Robert Kincheloe, Sean Hennessey & Nancy Donnelly. Photo by Chip Montague.

The Washington Glass School had lunch at nearby Franklins to:

1). Celebrate Rob’s Birthday.

2) Wish Rob well at the International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) Gathering in Louisville, KY, opening the 27^th. Rob will be presenting at the conference, and he promised photos for to post on the school blog.

Looking forward to the postings!

Fun Weekend Events

A couple of events take place this weekend -

The Capital Fringe Festival continues its July Festival performances. Capital Fringe Festival is the only major unjuried, self-producing, open-access Festival in the Washington, DC area and occurs in July each year. The Fringe Festival provides all artists, whether new or established, a venue to express and develop their talents and artistic visions in total freedom.

One of the events is MatchGame DC - where area celebrities have agreed to sit on the answer panels for a live version of the classic TV Game Show presented live on stage. Proceeds to benefit 3 local charities: Food & Friends, The DC Film Alliance and The Washington Literacy Council. Our Tim Tate is one of the artists performing in the silly, naughty fun. Go see Match Game DC, no matter how you feel about game shows, DC celebrities, or improv-based, audience participation-filled semi-theater, because in the end, it supports three really important causes.

Where:Studio Theater, 1501 14th Street NW, Washington DC

When:Saturday, July 23rd, at 9 p.m & Sunday, July 24th, at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: $17 and can be bought online at capitalfringe.org

More info on MatchGameDC - click HERE.

The 100 Washington, DC Artists book should be available at most DMV area bookstores very soon and a book release party will be held this Saturday, July 23rd at Conner Contemporary in DC. The book release party is by invitation only, so please RSVP to lenny@lennycampello.com if you'd like to be added to the invite list or RSVP on Facebook here. Most of the artists will be there, so this is your chance to get your copy signed by them. You can bring your own copy or a very limited number of books will be available for sale at the party. The book is also available online at the usual sites (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, etc.) or directly from the publisher. If you want to support your local bookstore, you can have them order it for you here.

Book Details ISBN: 9780764337789

Size: 8 1/2 x 11 Illustrations: 735+ images

Pages: 224 Binding: Hard Cover

Conner Contemporary Art
1358 Florida Ave, NE, Washington, DC
Date: Saturday, July 23, from 3-5 PM

Art Camp at the Glass School

Kids & glass - the perfect companions!

Prince George's County Brentwood Arts Exchange has its summertime Creative Expressions Camp where kids get to explore a variety of artistic media as well as contemporary reading and writing activities around such themes as animals, nature, and adventure.
One of the camp sessions (the adventure one) was held at the Washington Glass School.

Rob Kincheloe helps direct the children on the finer aspects of working in glass.

Artistic expressions are nurtured (ie yanked out) from each student.

Mini masterpieces inside the kiln.

Black Artists of DC

This past weekend, the Washington Glass School was host to the Black Artists of DC (BADC) monthy meeting. The artist group often conducts studio visits as a way to network and offer new opportunities for the members.
The mission of BADC is to promote, develop and validate the culture, artistic expressions and aspirations of past and present artists of Black-Afrikan ancestry in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Click HERE to jump to BADC's facebook page.

DCMud Covers Washington Glass Studio

(...well get a hose then!)

The Washington DC Real Estate and Architecture blog, DC Mud has an insightful review of the architectural design and applications of glass by the Washington Glass Studio. The article provides a synopsis on a number of WGS design projects - their history and some great photos of the finished works.

Design writer Beth Herman reveals the origins of some of the glass techniques and process used by WGS: "...But he revealed their signature prowess evolved from an Erwin Timmers experiment, and has essentially been a work in progress over the last decade.

“Someone had mentioned they’d heard if you push something into dry plaster, you can melt things into it,” Tate recounted of the process, adding it just didn’t seem right. “You’d think the thing would fall apart, or smoosh, with no detail.”

m.l. duffy working on cast glass made from recycled glass for Safeway Inc project.

Over what Tate called a very strong objection (“it’s how we do things”) on his part, colleague Timmers tried it, placing his hand into the plaster to make an impression, adding a piece of glass on top which was melted down. Technically, “the heat went on to expand the molecules of the dry plaster, hardening it just enough so that when the glass melts in, it doesn’t move out of the way,” Tate explained, adding they pulled out a piece of glass with Timmers’ fingerprints on it, as it was that detailed. Realizing they had something in this process, Tate said they’ve spent years refining it because they’re using both glass and plaster in ways they were not intended, and formulaic changes need to be made to accommodate seasons and other variables."

..Of the perpetuation of WGS’s work, and specifically of his students at the school, Tate said “…a rising tide floats all boats. We try to help everyone achieve their next goal. We came together to make an impact on Washington.”

For the link to the entire DCMud article link - click HERE.

World Crafts Council Visits WGS

Tim Tate addresses a group from the WCC, as PBS film crew documents his comments for posterity.

A contingent of international guests—leaders of national craft federations and craft advocacy groups, as well as diplomats and government officials— came to the Washington Glass School on Thursday.

The North American branch of the World Crafts Council (WCCNA) along with its counterparts in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America sent representatives here to participate in the business seminars held as part of the Buyers Market of American Craft being held at Baltimore's Convention Center.

Erwin Timmers shows the group the inside of a hot kiln (and how glass and dry plaster powder can mix to produce artwork).

Wendy Rosen, producer of the Buyers Market and a North American representative of WCCNA, and publisher of American Style Magazine and Niche Magazine, had brought the group to the Washington Glass School and Flux Studios as part of a tour of "Craft in the Capitol".

Artomatic Is Back! In Frederick, MD

Artomatic is a five week unjuried exhibit scheduled to open Wednesday, September 28th and run through Sunday, November 6th, 2011. The event will be held at the old Board of Education Building located at 115 East Church Street in downtown Frederick.

Artomatic@Frederick will be a collective presentation of visual arts, music, theatre and poetry.

Registration for exhibit space will begin on August 1st and runs through September 9th. Building tours will be held at 9 am and 11 am each Saturday and Sunday beginning July 9th through July 31st (with the exception of July 17th). Artist Registration begins August 1st.

UPDATE: Here are the revised building times:
Artomatic will be conducting tours on:

Saturday July 16th at 9,10 and 11
no tour sunday the 17th
Sat. July 23rd at 9,10 and 11
Sunday July 24 at 10 and 11
Saturday July 30 at 9,10 and 11
Sunday July 31 at 10 and 11

Information: http://www.artomaticfrederick.org/
Questions: aom21701@gmail.com
Phone: 240-285-3758

Debra Ruzinsky @ Brattleboro Museum

Debra Ruzinsky "Sweet Escape" cast glass mixed media, 16.5 x 18.5 x 16 inches 2011

We had mentioned in an earlier post that Studio Artist Debra Ruzinsky was preparing for an upcoming show at Vermont's Brattleboro Museum. Above is a finished artwork image of Deb's sumptuous glass artwork and below is more information about the show and link.

Deb's cast glass confections were selected as part of a show "Glass in all Senses" which opens this Friday, July 15th.

Glass in All Senses
July 15 - October 23, 2011

A kinesthetic investigation into the possibilities of glass, Glass in All Senses features the work of a dozen artists from around the world. Visitors can take in the fragrance of Robert DuGrenier’s glass flowers, create light murals with Alejandro and Moira Sina’s Touch Plane, and even eat Yuka Otani’s Edible Glass. This collection of inventive glasswork will indeed tickle all the senses.
Glass in All Senses is part of ARTCraft, six concurrent exhibits that explore the boundaries between fine art and fine craft.

Brattleboro Museum & Art Center
10 Vernon Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301

California's Bay Area Glass Institute Seeks New ED

Mark Murai

BAGI Executive Director Mark Murai Returning to the Private Sector

The Board of Directors of the Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI) has announced that Mark Murai will be leaving his position as Executive Director to return to the technology sector. Over the past two years as the organization's leader and as a staff member since 2006, BAGI has grown its impact by expanding class offerings, adding programs for kids, bringing in thousands of new students of all ages, while continuing to be a resource for local artists to work and learn.

Mark said, "It is a bittersweet choice I have made but this decision will help take care of a situation very important in my personal life. I will be part of the interview team for the next Executive Director and will continue to help BAGI with events, studio repairs and as "an Artist" ... The next Executive Director will have a chance to work with some great people and an organization that is truly something very special in the South Bay."
You can read more of his note to the BAGI community here.

"Mark brought a great spirit of entrepreneurship to his role," said Steven Aldrich, BAGI Board Chair. "His energy and passion to expand our outreach has grown the organization in the past two years through challenging economic times. Mark has had a tremendous impact and opened a number of doors by building relationships in the local community."
BAGI’s Board has started the search for a new Executive Director and multiple Board members are working to ensure a smooth transition when Mark leaves in mid-July. Tom Upchurch, Board member and BAGI’s Executive Director before Mark, will serve as Interim Executive Director during the search.

Click HERE to read about BAGI's search qualifications.

The Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI), a non-profit arts education center founded in 1996, is the only public access glass-working facility in the Santa Clara County that has fully functional glassblowing, fusing, cold-working and torch working studios. BAGI educates the public about art glass by teaching a variety of glass-working classes, offering free public demonstrations, and bringing in guest artists to conduct free demonstrations and lectures. BAGI's goal is to continue expanding its education and program offerings to artists and the general public.
BAGI is located at 401 East Taylor Street, in San Jose, CA.

For more information about BAGI, click HERE.

New Fall Class Schedule - Part 2 - Lampworking Classes

The Washington Glass School’s 2011 Fall Lampworking courses are now available online and enrollment is open. Have a look at the new fun classes!

Class 1108 - Open Studio For Flameworkers

Already know the basics of flameworking? Want to join others in a social atmosphere while you work? Our Flamework Club gives each student the opportunity to work independently in a world class studio while meeting some great new friends! Materials extra.

Class Limit: 6 students

Instructor : Robert Kincheloe

Dates : Sat / Sun afternoons (call to confirm appointment)

Time : 1:30pm to 5pm

Tuition : $300 for 4 sessions or included with Instructor Classes

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Class 1128 - Beginning Sculptural Flameworking

Learn the basics of making objects in the flame from borosilicate (Pyrex) glass. This 2-day class will focus on skills that are the basis of working with glass on the torch. You will come away with knowledge and some fine objects too! Rob is an energetic, knowledgeable instructor and artist who is ready and willing to help anyone learn this fascinating art form. The materials fee provides student with initial pack of glass, fuel for the torches and the loan of a full set of hand tools. Additional glass and supplies are available for purchase as the class progresses. Take this class more than once to reinforce your skills! Class Limit: 6 students

Instructor : Robert Kincheloe

Dates : Sat/Sun Sept 10 & 11

Time : 10am-1:30 pm (also includes a free open studio session till 5pm if you wish)

Tuition :$250 plus $50 material fee for instructor

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Class 1129 - Flameworking with Color

Learn the basics of working with colored borosilicate (Pyrex) glass. This 2-day class will focus on processes for including patterns and designs in glass at the torch. You will come away with the ability to design work with a variety of color application techniques. This is an excellent follow up class to the Introduction to flameworking. Come advance your ability to create through this fascinating art form. The materials fee provides student with initial pack of glass, fuel for the torches and the loan of a full set of hand tools. Additional glass and supplies are available for purchase as the class progresses. Take this class more than once to reinforce your skills! Class Limit: 6 students

Instructor : Robert Kincheloe

Dates : Sat/Sun Dec. 3 & 4

Time : 10am-1:30 pm (also includes a free open studio session till 5pm if you wish)

Tuition : $250 plus $50 material fee for instructor

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For the list of the NEW Fall 2011 Kiln Classes - click HERE

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PayPal Class Registration Below:

Class registration

1108 - Flamework Club $300.00 1128 - Beginning Sculptural Flameworking $250.00 1129 - Flameworking with Color $250.00

New Fall Class Schedule - Part 1

Ready to leave this summer behind and fire up your fall?

The Washington Glass School’s 2011 fall courses are now available and enrollment is open. The schedule has some of our classic classes, and some exciting new classes with all-new techniques!

New classes like "Using Neon in Sculpture" where neon has left the tube! The gas is still contained and charged - but into forms made by either lampworking or blown glass or or KILN FUSING! Awesome!

Maybe you are looking for a jolt to your visual expression and are looking to branch out from your comfort zone by incorporating video, but had no idea how to start. Here’s a way! The 2-day workshop "Video As A Sculptural Medium" will help you begin your understanding of shooting and editing video. Awesomer!

More practical minded? How about rolling up your sleeves and getting to work making an environmentally friendly table? In “Eco-Tables” you will make the steel base (and learn the basics of welding) and glass top from recycled glass (learning the art of fusing).

recycled glass and steel table

glass sconce by Nancy Donnelly

Or “Making Glass Sconces for Your Home” where you learn to cut, fuse and shape glass into a sconce. You will make the hardware to mount the light. Build your own dream house – from the inside out! Awesome Domestic Bliss!

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Fall 2011 Schedule

(Lampworking Class Schedule next posting)

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Class 1120- Beginner's Glass Lover's Weekend

Our most popular class, this is the fastest way to learn all aspects of warm glass in the shortest amount of time! Under the supervision of a professional glass artist you will learn the fundamentals of fusing, slumping and dimensional kiln casting. Everything from bowls and plates to sculptural objects... this is the perfect way for a beginner to learn the basics of glass... and you will leave with several very cool items! Offered 2 times in the fall session.

Instructor: Robert Kincheloe
Dates: Session A : Sat/Sun - Sept. 24/25
Session B : Sat /Sun Nov 12/13
Time: 1pm to 5pm each day
Tuition: $300 per student (all materials included)

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Class 1121 - Going Green

Green up your life by doing something creative to help the environment! This is an exploration into using recycled glass to make sculptural pieces, tableware, and architectural elements. We will delve into multiple techniques, including casting, fusing and slumping. Glass chemistry, coloration, and firing temperatures will be explained for each particular application. It is a fantastic way to learn aspects of any warm glass work while focusing on recycling! Once you start down the path of recycled glass, you will see more and more opportunities for experimentation around you. No prior experience is necessary - you are encouraged to bring in materials you'd like to try...and you will leave with several very cool items!

Instructor: Erwin Timmers
Dates: Wed Evenings Sept 14, 21 & 28
Time: 7pm to 9:30pm
Tuition : $350

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Class 1122 - Eco-Tables

This is your chance to venture into furniture-making for your home. We will focus on using recycled materials to create a side table. You will get an introduction to welding and then cut and weld a steel frame. You will then cast or fuse an incredibly cool glass top to give you a one-of-a-kind table of your own design. No prior welding or glass experience is needed but not discouraged. There are size limitations for the glass top - not to exceed 18" x 18".

Instructor: Erwin Timmers
Dates : Wednesday eves, Oct 12, 19, 26 and Nov 2
Time: 7pm to 9:30pm
Tuition: $400 per student (all materials included)

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Class 1123 - Using Neon In Your Sculpture - Not Your Grandfather's Neon
Neon doesn't only come in a tube anymore! This is a great way to use neon in new ways! Expand your vocabulary of your sculptural glass by lighting up your forms. This class will focus on 2 areas. You must pick one:
A).Designing hollow sculpture for experienced flameworkers at a bench torch.
B). Fusers who would like to incorporate neon in bullseye or plate glass by creating a void. Very new idea!
The students will make hollow forms that will be filled and illuminated with noble gases (such as neon, argon, krypton, or xenon). The course will provide a basic understanding of neon. Demonstrations and discussions will encompass different gases, the effects of gas pressure (including plasma), different effects achieved by varying forms and transformer use. By the end of the workshop, you will leave with glass forms that are filled with gas and will illuminate the possibilities. Cut off date to register for this class will be OCT 1st!

Instructor: Jason Chakravarty
Dates: Columbus Day Weekend/ Sat-Sun-Mon /Oct 8-9-10
Time: 2 to 6pm each day
Tuition: $500 per student

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Class 1124 - Making Glass Sconces for your Home

wall sconce by Nancy Donnelly

Are you looking to brighten up your life? Do you want to see your house in a new light? Well, come in and make your own in this class! You'll learn to cut, fuse and shape glass into a sconce. You will design your own mold, and make the hardware to mount the light. You will also learn how to safely wire and install your new sconce. No glass or electrical experience is necessary.

Instructor: Erwin Timmers
Dates: Wednesday eves, Nov 9 &16
Time : 7pm to 9:30pm each day
Tuition: $300 per student (all materials included)

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Class 1126 -Video As A Sculptural Medium
Have you been interested in the thought of working with video? Have you thought that maybe its time to add video to your artwork? Well, here's the way! This 2 day workshop will help you begin your understanding of shooting and editing video. Using simple equipment, we will cover shooting, lighting, editing with iMovie and FinalCut, using video with current artwork, and narrative concepts. This class will be easier if you have a MacBook with iMovie or FinalCut loaded, or a PC Laptop with those programs. Come and get started with this adaptable artform! This class limited to 6 participants.

Instructor: Tim Tate / Pete Duvall
Dates: Sunday afternoons in Oct 23 & 30
Time : 1pm to 5pm each day
Tuition: $300 per student

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Class 1127- Work At Your Own Pace / Open Studio

Already know the basics of casting or fusing? Open Studio gives each student the opportunity to work independently in a world class studio. Tuition includes a kiln firing per session, clear base glass and colored scrap glass, use of studio tools.

Instructor: Studio Staff
Dates: Wed/Thurs/Sat afternoons (call to confirm appointment)
Time: 1pm to 5pm
Tuition: $300 for 4 sessions

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For the list of NEW Fall 2011 Lampworking Classes - click HERE

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PayPal Class Registration

1102B - Beginner's Weekend July $300.00 1106 - Bas-Relief In Glass $350.00 1120A - Beginner's Weekend Sept $300.00 1120B - Beginner's Weekend Nov $300.00 1121 - Going Green $350.00 1122 - Eco-Tables $400.00 1123 - Neon In Your Sculpture $500.00 1124 - Glass Sconces $300.00 1125- New Technology - Arduino $500.00 1126 -Video As A Sculptural Medium $300.00