History of Studio Glass: What Came Before

The audience gets settled into Flux Studios for the start of the history of American studio glass.

Professor Debra Ruzinsky's lecture on the history of the studio glass movement was a treat! Debra's slide lecture outlined the traditional lineage and then featured many of the artists and works not normally included in the standard time line history that starts in March 1962 and focuses primarliy on blown glass works. Deb's discussion included pre-'60s and '70s works, works by women, European glass artists, kiln casters, and narrative works - all the alternate viewpoints.

Debra Ruzinsky's lecture takes the students on a journey.

Novie Trump of Flux studios offered the use of their stunning space for the talk, and it was SRO - which is always heartening.

Tim Tate addresses the students from Salisbury University glass program that traveled hours to be part of the talk.

Assistant professor Steve Durow arranged for a group from the glass program at Maryland's Salisbury University to join the lecture and the students had a tour of the glass school. The idea that the young-un's (as well as us old coots) are getting a sense of the rich history of glass as the medium rushes forward into the 21st Century makes all of us at the Glass School happy.

History and Evolution of Studio Glass Lecture Oct 5th

© Erwin Eisch / CMOG

Whats going on in the photo above? 
Is it a new 8 member boy band created from TV show "X Factor"? No.
Still photo from the latest sequel to a Hollywood slasher/gore film? Nope.
Some Portland hipsters gathering at a coffee café that doubles as a low-carbon-footprint bike shop? Wrong Again.

European glass innovator Erwin Eisch made the 8 mold blown works as a tribute to Harvey Littleton in 1976. Eisch’s non-traditional approach to glassmaking had a profound impact during the formative years of the American Studio Glass movement, and his relationship with American glass pioneer Harvey K. Littleton forged an important link between European and American studio artists working in glass. 

Want to know more about the history of Studio Glass? This Saturday, October, 5, from 1 pm, the Debra Ruzinsky of the Washington Glass School will talk and show images presenting a  broad international survey rooted in the early days of studio work. Works by artists Sybren Valkema,  Edris Eckhardt, Michael and Francis Higgins, Libensky and Brychtova, Ann Wolff, Erwin Eisch, Kyohei Fujita, Vera Liskova, to name a few early & influential artists -- such as female glass artist Asa Brandt, who has been called the "Harvey Littleton of Sweden".

This free talk is a great way to know who and where glass has come as we move boldly into a new future of the medium.

BLUE MADONNA by Ann Wolff

What Came Before / A Slide History Of The Studio Glass Movement

Lecturer : Debra Ruzinsky 

When : Saturday,October 5th  

From:1 pm

Cost : Free of charge...RSVP to: washglassschool@aol.com
Where: Washington Glass School
             3700 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD 20712

Oh, and the titles of the Erwin Eisch heads:
(A) Littleton the Gentleman: mirrored inside, with glasses, with marble base. (B) Littleton the Poet: with glasses and beanie. (C) Littleton the Teacher: mirrored inside, glassblower painted on right side of head; set on square black base. (D) Littleton, Man of Frauenau: cold painted in facial area and around base with scene of town. (E) Littleton the Worker: applied band of colorless glass across nose and around head, square black base. (F) Littleton's Headache: painted with bandages surrounding head and chin area, etched in other areas, square black base. (G) Littleton the Fragile. (H) Littleton's Spirit: with collar and tie.

Time To Get (Glass) Schooled! Free Lecture on the History of Studio Glass

The Washington Glass School Presents a free lecture titled " What Came Before / A Slide History Of The Studio Glass Movement." The talk will be a broad international survey focusing on the early days of studio glass work.

Who was there, what they did, and why; in the US and abroad; male and female artists; people you may never have heard about!   

Perfect for Glass Seccessionistas who want to learn a bit of glass history that isn't just about the biggest names - this is a great chance to get the overview of the medium and provide new insights!

Lecturer : Debra Ruzinsky 

When : Saturday,October 5th  

From:1 pm

Cost : Free of charge...RSVP to: washglassschool@aol.com
Where: Washington Glass School
             3700 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD 20712

Debra Ruzinsky received her BA in Design from the University of California at Los Angeles, and her MFA in Glass Sculpture from RIT. She has been working in glass since 1982. She serves on the publications committee of the Glass Art Society, and was Visiting Asst. Professor of Glass at RIT for the 2008-2009 academic calendar year. Her work is part of the collection of the Seto City Museum in Seto, Japan, and the Glasmuseet Ebeltoft in Denmark, as well as the RIT Wallace Library Collection.

Debra Ruzinsky Solo Show at VisArts Gallery

Debra Ruzinsky at her show opening at the Brattleboro Museum.
Images of Deb's work are also featured in the book " New Technologies in Glass", by Dr. Vanessa Cutler. 

Debra Ruzinsky - one of the DC area Master Casters, has a solo show at Rockville's VisArts Center set to open September 14, and run thru October 20th, 2012.  Deb's artwork that was featured in the Long View Gallery 2011 exhibit of artists of the Washington Glass School had the critic for the Washington Post question his previously held beliefs on what contemporary art should look like, as he stood in front of her work  "Staring at it [Debra Ruzinsky's cast glass], I feel like a monkey in front of a ball of shiny, shiny tin foil."  By Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, Thursday, May 26, 2011

"Sight", 2012, kiln cast glass

8” x 8” x 8"

Debra works in kiln-cast glass and mixed-media, producing objects that mix distopian and utopian visions, investigating belief and meaning. Her new series that takes an oblique look at objects imbued with personal meanings. Referencing memorabilia, collectibles, and luxury goods for display, these objects form a fragmented portraiture, with discrete elements creating implications of a whole. 

"Detached" , 2012, kiln-cast glass and mixed media

7”h x 24”w x 1-3/4”d

Portions 
Solo show, opens September 14 
at VisArts - Common Ground Gallery.http://www.visartsatrockville.org/exhibi 
VisArts
155 Gibbs Street, Rockville, MD  20850

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

Cast Glass Sweeties

Debra Ruzinsky

Sugar Bomb #3; Cast glass, 2011

Debra Ruzinsky
Bombshell, 2011

Debra Ruzinsky's cast glass artwork was recently praised by the Washington Post Art Critic Michael O'Sullivan in a review of glass sculpture that was on exhibit at Long View Gallery. In the review, Michael wrote: "My guilty pleasure sits all the way in the back of the 5,000-square-foot gallery... There you'll find two small sculptural works by artist Deborah Ruzinsky, mounted on pedestals in front of large glass doors that, on sunny days, suffuse the room with light. The works' titles, "Sugar Bomb #2" and "Sugar Bomb #3," are apt. Cast in green and orange glass using Jell-O molds and artillery shell casings, they're pure, explosive eye candy.

Staring at it, I feel like a monkey in front of a ball of shiny, shiny tin foil. Isn't contemporary art supposed to be ugly -- or at least less superficial?...

On the one hand, glass is pretty. It's hard not to like the way it looks: the luminous color, the way it plays with light. On the other hand, maybe glass is only pretty. How do we know that the beauty is also capable of brains? The rest of the show is proof that it is."

Debra was in the glass school this weekend coldworking her pieces of cast glass sculpture for a show at Vermont's Brattleboro Art Museum this July 15-Oct 23. The group show "Glass in All Senses" promises to be an amazing collection of pieces by diverse artists. Debra's work is from her sculpture series "Sweet Escape". The work will feature cast glass sweets and rockets.

Debra checks her cast glass wafer ramp for smoothness.

Check back later for links to the Brattleboro Museum show.

Upcoming Class in the "Lost Wax" Process

One of the most sought after glass techniques - Lost Wax Casting is coming soon to the Washington Glass School!
This is a great way to make 3-D elements in kilncast glass. Think of the sculptural possibilities!
Glass guru Tim Tate uses this technique to make sculptural glass elements that are part of his blown & cast glass reliquary artworks. The detail and control of of the form allows for the creation incredible works of art.

A view of some of Tim Tate's cast glass elements made with the lost wax process.

Our instructor for this class, Debra Ruzinsky, was on the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) faculty as Asst Professor of Glass, and has just come back from teaching this technique at the Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass.

Debra Ruzinsky works with the students on preparing the plaster encasement.

Have a look at the course description below - this could be the most interesting class you take this year!

Class 1021 - Basics of Lost Wax Casting
In this 3 day class we will make a sculptural vessel form in the "lost wax" method. Students will begin with a pre-made wax form that they learn to carve and alter. Students are asked to research surface design ideas prior to starting, bringing sketches, magazine clippings, xerox's, etc.

No experience is necessary (wear clothing that can get messy and closed toed shoes).

Example of student lost wax work.

Click HERE to see photos from last year's class in the lost wax process.

Lost Wax - Found!

Debra Ruzinsky's great Lost Wax Casting class finished up their projects in the cold shop. Here are some images of the students and their work.

Great New Addition to the Glass School

Our newest instructor at the glass school is Debra Ruzinsky. Debra recieved her BA in design from the University of Californina at Los Angeles, and her MFA in Glass Sculpture from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). She has been working in glass since 1982. She serves on the publications committee of the Glass Art Society, and was Visiting Asst. Professor of Glass at RIT for the 2008 - 2009 academic calendar year. She has previously taught at the University of Oregon Craft Center, and will teach at the Studio at Corning in 2010.
Her work is part of the collection of the Seto City Museum in Seto, Japan, and the Glasuseet Ebeltoft in Denmark, as well as the RIT Wallace Library Purchase Prize Collection, and some private collections. In the summer of 2008 she was an invited artist-in-residence at the Seto City International Ceramic and Glass Art Exchange program in Seto, Japan. She was included in the 2009 MFA Exhibition at Urban Glass in Brooklyn, NY and Breakthrough Ideas in Global Glass at Hawk Galleries in Columbus, OH through Fall 2009.

Debra will be teaching Introduction to Lost Wax Casting this Fall session & we welcome her to the Washington arts community! Click HERE to jump to her website.

Profit/Loss

2009

kiln cast glass, vintage receipt spike

2" x 2" x 8"

Sweet Distraction

2008

Kiln cast glass, lead crystal, mixed media

20"h x 40"w x 40"d

Apparition

2007

kiln-cast glass, flameworked glass, mixed media