WGS Seeks Studio / Production Mgr

Update on the job posting - click HERE to meet Mick Coughlin, new Studio Production Mgr.

Washington Glass School & Studio, 3700 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD 20712

The Washington Glass School is seeking a new Studio/ Production Manager.

The Washington Glass School and Studio is one of the largest and most successful warm glass and sculpture centers in the Mid-Atlantic region. In 10 years time we have seen over 4000 students and sent many on to rewarding careers. Our focus is on sculpture, both as individual studio artists, and large-scale public art commissions.

This is a very integral position within our community. You will be responsible for coordinating equipment usage in the studio, be responsible for organizing and keeping the studio clean, assisting the principle artists, packing and shipping artwork, overseeing some large scale projects and (eventually) teaching some classes. Experience in glass is helpful, but not necessary, as we will train. There will be some heavy lifting; plaster mixing and mold making, and mold steaming as well. Some exhibition and project installations will require assistance. The schedule is flexible; the studio is typically open from 10am to 6pm M-F, but your hours are based on workload. There are also some evening and weekend classes.

While this is a demanding job, it also can be an extremely educational and rewarding one. Besides being part of a vibrant and successful studio, you will have your own workspace and will be encouraged to make your own artwork and to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that pass through our doors. The pay is $10 per hour to start with a salary evaluation after 30 days. You will receive additional pay for every class you teach and you learn more than you ever thought possible about running an extremely busy and successful studio. Think of it as an MFA that pays you as you learn.

Care to join us?
Call Tim Tate/ Washington Glass School
202-744-8222

3700 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Located about 4 miles from Logan Circle, across the DC border of Eastern Ave. MAP

Sean Hennessey & Rania Hassan : Crafty Bastards

Glass/mixed media artist Sean Hennessey and his wife, artist Rania Hassan are both part of this Saturday's craft fair " Crafty Bastards". Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 10am - 5pm located on 18th Street NW, in the heart of Adams Morgan section of Washington, DC. Sean's cast glass and mixed media panels were some the most popular works on exhibit at the WGS 10th Anniversary show at LongView Gallery this summer. In 2009, Rania's mixed media/textile work was awarded the James Renwick Alliance's "Craft Award of Distinction". Check out Sean's new cast glass panels and Rania's newest artworks - awesome!

Detail of Looking for a Hero
Glass, Steel
by Sean Hennessey

Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair is an exhibition and sale of handmade alternative arts and crafts from independent artists presented by the Washington City Paper. The fair is all-day, outdoors, free to attend, and will offer goods for sale, food, entertainment, prizes, and more!

Booths #34 and #35
Crafty Bastards
Saturday October 1st
2151 18th Street NW, DC in the heart of Adams Morgan
10AM- 5PM

"Visual Voices" Exhibit and Book Signing @ Zenith Gallery

'Visual Voices' exhibit features 22 artists from the "100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic" book.

Schiffer Books has a couple of books that feature artists from the Washington, DC area that have hit the book stands (or online) in the past couple of months. Ashely Rooney's "100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic" is now out, and Zenith Gallery, located in the Chevy Chase Pavilion in Washington, DC, has an exhibit and booksigning event taking place this week.

"100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic" by E Ashley Rooney, hardcover, 224 pages

The show at Zenith Gallery will open with a Book-signing Party with the author and artists, on Wednesday, September 21, 6:00 – 8:30pm, and remain on display through October 29, 2011.

Visual Voices - featuring works by: Alan Binstock, F Lennox Campello, Joan Danziger, Julie Girardini, Margery Goldberg, Robert Jackson, Michael Janis, Joan Konkel, Ann Marchand, Donna McCollough, Davis Morton, Carol Newmyer, Marc Rubin, Barton Rubenstein, Sica, Ellen Sinel, Betsy Stewart, Cassie Taggert, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Paul Martin Wolf, Joyce Zipperer.

Book Party, Meet the Author and Artists

Wednesday September 21, 6 - 9 PM
Exhibition: September 21 - October 29, 2011

Zenith Gallery owner/artist Margery Goldberg (far right) in front of her gallery on Level 2 Chevy Chase Pavilion.

Zenith Gallery at Chevy Chase Pavilion, 2nd Level next to Embassy Suites
Chevy Chase Pavilion, 5335 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington DC 20015
Accessible by Friendship Heights Metro Stop

Click HERE to jump to Zenith Gallery's online images of the show.

A Bunch Of Einsteins Grow Up

A bas-relief casting of Albert Einstein is integrated with images of students in "A New World View".

The American Physical Society commissioned the Washington Glass Studio to create artwork as a tribute to Albert Einstein as part of 2005's 'World Year of Physics' celebration. Working with scientists from the APS and with educators and students from around the country, Erwin Timmers, Tim Tate and Michael Janis created a cast glass series of panels that integrated imagery and symbols based on Albert Einsteins life and theories. The work was intended to become a traveling educational public art piece - going from museums, to physics lab centers to schools across the nation. As part of the art project, the World Year of Physics team collected over 300 pictures of children from families around the country. From these images, a number were incorporated into the cast glass artwork.

Michael Janis creates imagery in plaster and places glass atop in preparation of the kiln firing - December 2005.

Erwin Timmers and Michael Janis review castings based on Einstein's theories - December 2005.

The artwork, titled "A New World View" was segmented into four columns. Three columns focus on Einstein’s revolutionary ideas of 1905—the composition of matter, the quantum nature of light, and the Special Theory of Relativity. The fourth column illustrates Einstein's life.

A New World View
2005
photo by anythingphoto.net

The early public art commission by the studio was intended to challenge and inspire school children to build on the science of the past and be a part of the science of the future.

Children liked to explore the tactile nature of the cast bas-relief glass.

The finished artwork piece was photographed and a poster of the finished artwork was created and sent to the school systems across the country, promoting science and the tribute to Einstein.

Many of the cast glass images are explained in the artwork legend:
Einstein once said “God does not play dice with the universe,” but in this case Einstein was wrong. Much of nature is guided by the dice-like randomness of quantum mechanics.

The artwork traveled from its original home at Baltimore's Maryland Science Center, to a number of other locations, including the American Physical Society's New York office, Brookhaven Labs and other schools.

American Physical Society's glass sculpture featuring images of North Adams High School students, was delivered to North Adams High School Tuesday to be displayed for six months. Pictured are Becky Thompson-Flagg, APS Public Outreach, who delivered the sculpture from New York; Olga Cruzelaya, NAHS teacher who photographed the students for the project; Randall Dunkin, NAHS science teacher who was instrumental in bringing the sculpture display to the school; Stephen Caraway, field representative for Congresswoman Jean Schmidt; and Principal Greg Grooms. - Carleta Weyrich/The People’s Defender

Recently, the educational glass artwork came to Ohio's North Adams High School, where, six years ago, teacher Olga Cruzelaya had organized to submit photos of their students. A number of the original students , now graduated, were indeed inspired by the sculpture, and were interviewed by Carleta Weyrich in an article in "The People's Defender" newspaper.

Chase Burns, a 2009 graduate of North Adams High School, is the face behind the first square of the glass sculpture, “A New World View,” a 2005 project of the American Physical Society. - Carleta Weyrich/The People’s Defender

The American Physical Society's project showcases how successful a public art project can be - one that educates and inspires; where both the students and the school systems that participated in the creation of the art work are each excelling and advancing.Congrats to all involved!

Click HERE to jump to the APS website description of the original work, legend and process.

Click HERE to jump to the reunion of the artwork and the students at North Adams High School in the People's Defender newspaper.

Mondo Bizzaro Glass - Yet Still More Glass Fun Facts

mmm...glass

The normally august and sane National Geographic channel treats us to a freak show, titled Humanly Impossible, with one segment all about a glass eater. The series offers a look into extreme performers such as glass eaters and sword swallowers that push the human body to extraordinary limits. But how do they do it? Humanly Impossible follows a team of doctors and scientists to reveal the physiology behind bizarre and dangerous stunts that surpass average human capability.

Artist's rendering of an inside-the-mouth pov showing glass coming over the lips and past the gums.

My favorite is when doctors investigate The Great Nippulini to find out how he lifts up to 70 lbs. using only his nipples. Be sure to set your Tivo's and recorder for this Oct 8th, at 3am to capture the magic.

Previous Glass Fun Facts postings:

Glass Fun Facts: Gaffer/Composer

More Glass Fun Facts: Bullseye Glass

Float Glass Fun Facts

Glass Fun Facts - Shattered Glass Predicts Weather

Why is Glass Transparent?

Historical Glass Fun Facts - How the Invention of Pyrex and The Studio Glass Movement are Connected.

AACG Tours Washington Glass School

The Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass (AACG) held its annual tour weekend in Washington, DC. The AACG is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to further the development and appreciation of art made from glass. The Alliance informs the public, including collectors, critics and curators, by encouraging and supporting museum and art center glass exhibitions and public programs and regional collector groups.

The glass lover group hit the ground running early with visits to area collectors homes; a VIP tour of the Renwick Gallery; a VIP tour of the Kreeger Museum; a special progressive dinner at the Gateway Arts District 'On the Tracks' complex featuring the Washington Glass School and Flux Studios.

The Glass School and Flux Studios hosted a huge barbeque for the crowd - where the making of the food was part of the entertainment.

This ain't no Weber 'Smokey Joe' - this is hardcore.

The approx 50-60 strong group of collectors are welcomed to Washington Glass School.

Erwin Timmers' new works were a favorite of the group.

The tour continued with a brunch at Maurine Littleton Gallery in Georgetown on Sunday.

WGS 10 Year Anniversary Collaborative Artwork Installed

Erwin Timmers and Evan Ross Morgan hoist the glass and steel panels onto the building facade.

The WGS Collaborative Artwork project has been installed on the exterior of the school's Mount Rainier facility. The steel framework was made by metalworker George Anderton, the insets were created by artists and instructors of the Washington Glass School from the past 10 years.

Artist Laurie Brown creating one of the fused glass insets.

Evan Morgan drills the anchor mounts into the masonry.

Chris Shea joins the building installation race, as the storm clouds gather.

Original Concept Sketch

Architectural Glass Panels installed


The overall artwork, made by the 10 years of artists from the Washington Glass School.

Come by the Glass School and see the artwork in its architectural splendor!

Tim Tate selected by London International Creative Competition

The London International Creative Competition (LICC) awarded Honorable Mention to our man Tim Tate its latest arts competition.

The LICC competition is juried by a board of international luminaries of the visual arts world. The jury-selected Final Selection and Shortlist is published in the LICC Annual Awards Book.

To jump to the site with Tim's work - click here.

Centerfold Model Chris Shea (without the staples)

'National Treasure' Chris Shea is featured with a glossy spread in the fall issue of Modern Luxury Magazine. The magazine article focuses on the extraordinary craftsmanship of Chris' arthropod inspired chairs, recently acquired for the permanent by the Smithsonian Museum. The beautiful wrought steel and cast glass chairs have been featured in the blog previously, with a short photo narrative of Chris' process.

Click HERE to jump to the article in Modern Luxury.

Safeway Bethesda Public Art Sculpture From Recycled Glass

Roche Constructor's webcam located opposite the Bethesda Safeway site caught Evan Morgan and Erwin Timmers installing the cast recycled glass and metal framework into the facade of the new building.

The installation of Safeway Supermarket's Bethesda store public art is nearing completion. WGS' "green artist" Erwin Timmers has been putting the final touches on the outdoor sculpture with Evan Morgan as the contractors race to compete construction of the LEED certified building in time for the scheduled October 13, 2011 ribbon cutting. The public art project, using cast recycled glass - including glass salvaged from the original building and refrigeration displays - was designed to respond to the LEED certified architecture it is now integrated.

Susan Lomuto and Erwin Timmers salvage glass from the demolished Safeway freezer units.

The cast bas-relief glass motifs of fresh herbs were designed to meander organically across the building's façade, working as a counterpoint to the rhythm of the strong stone piers, while relating to aspects of the building's use.

Cast recycled glass inside the kiln. The glass has been fired into one-time molds at 1500° F and annealed. Next, the bas-relief panels will be cut and the glass tile edges polished.

The artglass color palate ranges between clear, amber and a blue-shift color. Areas of within the grids are left open to allow air and establish a connection between the interior and the busy streetscape.

Erwin Timmers touches up the steel frame finish.

The design and progress of the cast recycled glass has been mentioned in earlier postings on the school blog.

The Safeway architects, builders and design team admire the transformative quality the glass gives to the interior.

Other media outlets have been covering the Safeway supermarket design- including the DC area real estate blog DCMud and NewsChannel 8's TBD.com has covered the supermarket-as-art curator aspect.

Artist Erwin Timmers can be seen silhouetted thru the glass.

The supermarket is excited about their addition to both the Bethesda retail scene and their first foray into the art world. We will post pix and coverage of the store's celebrity filled vernissage this October.

UPDATE: Click HERE to jump to photos of the finished project.

Zenith Gallery Hosts "100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic" Book Party & Exhibition

100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic E. Ashley Rooney with Foreword by Charles Yoder; Schiffer Books

Zenith Gallery hosts "VISUAL VOICES" - an exhibition of DC area artists profiled in the new book "100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic" by E. Ashley Rooney. The show at Zenith Gallery will open with a Book-signing Party with the author and artists, on Wednesday, September 21, 6:00 – 8:30pm, and remain on display through October 29, 2011.

Visual Voices - featuring works by: Alan Binstock, F Lennox Campello, Joan Danziger, Julie Girardini, Margery Goldberg, Robert Jackson, Michael Janis, Joan Konkel, Ann Marchand, Donna McCollough, Davis Morton, Carol Newmyer, Marc Rubin, Barton Rubenstein, Sica, Ellen Sinel, Betsy Stewart, Cassie Taggert, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Paul Martin Wolf, Joyce Zipperer.

Book Party, Meet the Author and Artists

Wednesday September 21, 6 - 9 PM
Exhibition: September 21 - October 29, 2011

Zenith Gallery at Chevy Chase Pavilion, second level next to Embassy Suites Chevy Chase Pavilion, 5335 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington DC 20015
Accessible by Friendship Heights Metro Stop

Tim Tate Collaborates with Bettmann Dance Company

Glass sculptor & video artist Tim Tate has collaborated with the dance company Bettmann Dances in the production of their newest performance work "Quis Custodiet" - which opens at Woolly Mammoth Theatre this Friday, Sept 2nd.

NOTE - PREMIER POSTPONED for more info - click HERE

The Bettmann Dances performance, titled “Quis Custodiet ” refers to the Latin phrase “Quis Custodiet Ipsus Custodet,” meaning “Who Shall Watch the Watchers Themselves”. Tim's videos create the backdrop for the dance.

Bettmann Dances' Juan Michael rehearses (Katherine Frey/Washington Post)

According to Rob Bettmann, Artistic Director, the performance is intended to create a conversation about “what security means to us and how we pursue it.”

The dance, in three sections, starts with a retelling of the Adam and Eve story, comparing Eve to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and examining the question of too much information made public can be dangerous.

“I am not trying to moralize one way or the other" Bettman says, "I don’t understand how terrible things happen. As an artist, it’s easy to describe a problem. It is harder to suggest a solution.”

Premier of Quis Custodiet by Bettmann Dances

Woolly Mammoth Theatre
641 D Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004
Friday September 2 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm

Tickets are $25, $15 for students and teachers. To purchase online visit http://quis.bettmanndances.com/

Dance by: Michelle Maleh, Caroline Yost, Juan Michael Porter II, and Susan Steinman;
Videos by Tim Tate;
Costumes by Amy Carr-Taylor;
Quis poster by Johanna Mueller