Save The Date - Washington Glass School Holiday Open House Dec 14th!

Artist Syl Mathis divests his glass forms from the plaster after kilncasting the glass.

The artists & instructors of the Washington Glass School are busy beavering away creating new works for the upcoming Holiday Open House and sale, scheduled for Dec 14th, 2013, from Noon til 5:00 PM.

Syl Mathis is an award winning glass artist and sculptor. He is best known for his boat series of cast glass sculpture. Syl combines investment casting techniques, high pressure abrasive carving and cold-working techniques to create sculptural pieces in glass that often reflect stylized natural artifacts.

Syl casts the forms and then sandcarves and coldworks his shapes.

Syl Mathis "Artifact #14" 32" x 3.5"w x 2"d

The December 14th open house has more in store! Adjacent Flux Studios also has their Open Studio, as well as their First Annual Cup Invitational! Must see works - by superstar artists - in some of most fun studios you will ever see! Mark your calendars at once!

Jackie Riccio "Eels" Solo Exhibit at Flux Studios

sculpture and works on paper by Jackie Riccio

Saturday, September 7th from 5-7pm next-door neighbors Flux Studios is having a reception for eels, a solo exhibition of works created by Jackie Riccio, during her artist residency at Flux this summer. New art, great conversation and nibblies - come join the reception! 

Flux Studios, 3708 Wells Ave, Mount Rainier, MD 20712

UK Artist Residency - Sunderland's Philippa Whiteside @ Flux Studio

Philippa Whiteside "Hope & Despair"

This past spring, DC was host to Artomatic's International Glass and Clay show. This groundbreaking exhibit featured works by artists from the Sister Cities of Washington, DC and Sunderland, England. One of the UK ceramics artists  - Philippa Whiteside - sought out an artist residency at Flux Studios, and she will be arriving in the USA soon!

Philippa Whiteside's work at the International Glass & Clay 2013 show.

Philippa graduated from Sunderland University in 2010 with a BA Hons in Glass and Ceramics. She was awarded a 12 month scholarship with Creative Cohesion, supported by Sunderland City Council, and later was elected a Director of Creative Cohesion. Philippa's studio is based at Creative Cohesion. Her work often references text and letters, and she also experiments with surface decoration and texture, playing with porcelain's capabilities and natural beauty.

Philippa Whiteside "'UnPick Me. Pull Me Apart"

In a related note - the International Glass & Clay show has travelled back to the UK, and will soon be on exhibit - more details to follow.

If you are in the Mount Rainier area - stop in Novie Trump's Flux Studios during September and say "Hi" to Philippa - maybe shout her a drink (or two!)

It's OK - she's a Brit - she can handle it!

2013 - An Art Odyssey! JRA Spring Craft Weekend

James Renwick Alliance "Stars Of Tomorrow" Event at Washington Glass School & Flux Studio.

The studio...its full of STARS!

On Fri. April 5th from 10 to 2pm, the first event in a series of annual fund raisers by the James Renwick Alliance (JRA) will take place at the Washington Glass School and its next door neighbor Flux Studio. The event will feature a huge BBQ, entertainers, local food artisans and beer.

The event is titled " 2013 - An Art Odyssey". Besides artwork by area media-based artists, there will be a theramin player and space videos projected onto walls, also, fortune tellers and space jugglers will go throughout the crowd. Attending this event will be some of the major collectors from this region and from around the country.

The James Renwick Alliance is dedicated to promoting this region’s quality artwork, and have an amazing list of collectors and curators invited. This event is also open to the public, so invite everyone you know!

Event Details:

Date & Time : Friday April 5, from 10AM to 2 PM.
Location: Washington Glass School & Flux Studios
3700 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD, 20712
Cost: $35

Please RSVP in advance to Cicie Sattarnilasskorn at the JRA : admin@jra.org

The JRA, a national nonprofit arts organization, is an alliance of prominent artists, collectors, galleries and supporters of the arts which promotes  public knowledge and appreciation of American craft.

Proceeds from the activities of the weekend provide operating funds for the James Renwick Alliance and the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in support of its educational programs, research fellowships, exhibitions, and acquisitions for the permanent collection.

International Glass & Clay 2013 Opens!

Opening reception for International Glass and Clay 2013 Exhibit in Washington, DC

This weekend, the opening reception for the International Glass & Clay 2013 was a great sucess!
The collaborative show, organized by Artomatic, the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia and DC's Sister City of Sunderland, England and the University of Sunderland had a great turnout for the first night of the month long event. A number of the UK artists exhibiting in the show were on hand at the opening, and they were able to make connections with collectors and the DC creative community. 
Below are some photos of the opening night and of the exhibition:

Colin Rennie (foreground) Michael Janis (L) Roger Tye

Colin Rennie talks about his process and influences.

Washington DC collectors contemplate Megan Randall's ceramic works.

Stephen Beardsell's glass sculptures are always a favorite.

UK glass artist Robyn Townsend answers questions about her glass artworks on exhibit.

Beautiful ceramic sculptures by Novie Trump.

Glass artwork by UK glass artist Jeffrey Sarmiento and beyond, works by US artists Nancy Donnelly and Audrey Wilson.

UK glass artist Phil Vickery chats with DC collectors.

Artwork by UK glass artist Criss Chaney and ceramic work by US artist Tamara Laird.

Ceramic sculpture by the UK's Philippa Whiteside.

UK glass artist Roger Tye expresses surprise at what artist Criss Cheney has to say.

Sunderland City International Manager Catherine Auld is happy as Sunderland's Anne Tye negotiates a sale with a Washington, DC art collector.

The international exhibit will be open to the public thru March 23, 2013. Location is Pepco Edison Place Gallery, 702 8th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20068.
Gallery hours Saturday & Tuesday 12pm-4pm. Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, 12pm-8pm.

 Click HERE to jump to the exhibit website for more info on special events and artist info.

International Glass & Clay 2013 Opens Friday

Using an art exhibition as a bridge between countries, Artomatic, the DCCAH, the City of Sunderland, England and the UK National Glass Center have collaborated to bring together the Sister Cities of Sunderland, England and Washington, DC in a show that celebrates the medias of glass and clay, as well as celebrating the relationships between the two cities.

We are pleased to invite you to attend the opening reception of the International Glass and Clay 2013, on Friday evening, March 1 from 5:30-8pm, hosted at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. 

Visit our special website for more information about the exhibition http://glassandclay.org/ - There are planned events during the show, including demos, roundtable discussions, wine tastings and more!

Pepco Edison Place Gallery

702 Eighth Street (between G and H streets)

Washington, DC 20068

The Art Residency Experience

A Roundtable Discussion

Whether you’ve been on an art residency, or hope to do so in the future, please join members of the Washington Glass School, Flux Studios and invited guests for a roundtable discussion about residencies in the US and abroad.

Learn first hand what other artists have experienced.

• See what opportunities are available.
• Discover what others have gained from residencies and how they might apply to you.
• Share your insights with other artists.

This free discussion is being presented as part of the exhibition, International Glass & Clay 2013 at PEPCO’s Edison Gallery, March 1 – 23, 2013; an exchange between artists from Washington, DC and Sunderland, UK.
 

Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2013

5 – 6 pm Wine Tasting

6 – 7:30 pm Roundtable Discussion

Location:  Edison Place Gallery

702 Eighth Street (between G and H Street), Washington, DC 20068
To RSVP for the free event - click HERE.

International Exhibit of Glass + Clay : Shared History

Queen Victoria strolls thru the grounds of the Washington Glass School and Flux Studios.

The British Are Coming!

US/UK exhibit of glass and ceramics, March 1 - 23, in Washington, DC.

Using an art exhibition as a bridge between two countries, the Sister City  program will be bringing together Sunderland, England and Washington, DC in a show that celebrates the medias of glass and clay, as well as celebrating the relationships between the two cities.

USA / Syl Mathis / Glass 

Opening March 1, 2013, at Washington, DC's Edison Place Gallery will be an exhibit of expressive glass and ceramic artwork, as well as narrative sculptures that blend craft materials with digital technologies and, in turn remove the boundaries between the traditional categories of craft, art, and design.

USA / Novie Trump / Ceramic

Artists and artwork will soon be arriving from the UK's Creative Cohesion and University of Sunderland, and DC - based artists represented by the Washington Glass School and Flux Studios will be acting as “cultural ambassadors” facilitating the exchange of ideas and images. In addition to a spectacular exhibit, a number of demos and workshops are planned during the month at the gallery and the DC area studios.

UK / Roger Tye / Glass

This will be the third collaboration with DC's Sister City of Sunderland - in 2008 "Glass 3" was held in Georgetown; in 2009, 38 artists from Sunderland participated in the 10th Artomatic, held near the Navy Yard.  
Washington Glass School's Fulbright Scholars Michael Janis and Tim Tate taught at both the University of Sunderland and at Creative Cohesion studios during their Fulbright assignment in 2012, and look forward to renewing the close relationship created by these collaborations.

US Fulbrighters Janis & Tate 2012 workshop at Creative Cohesion studios in Sunderland, England

The International Glass + Clay show opens March 1st and will run through Friday, March 23, The exhibit is free and open to the public.  The Gallery Place Metro station is within walking distance of the Gallery. 

The Downtown Business Improvement District (Downtown BID), in partnership with Artomatic, Inc., the Office of the Secretary for the District of Columbia, and Sunderland City Council, have together organized the international exhibit, hosted at Pepco's Edison Gallery. 

International Glass and Clay 2013
Edison Place Gallery
702 Eighth Street (between G & H Streets)
Washington, DC 

Flux Studios Host Workshop for JRA Distinguished Artist Jason Walker

This past weekend, Flux Studios - next door to the Washington Glass School - held a workshop with ceramic artist Jason Walker, as part of the James Renwick Alliance Distinguished Artist Series.  Jason Walker is known for his ceramic sculptures which offer narrative in both two- and three-dimensional forms. He uses such technological images as light bulbs, plugs, pipes, tubing, juxtaposed with nature imagery such as birds, insects, leaves and trees to explore how technology has changed society’s perceptions of nature.

Jason Walker demonstrates his painting technique. photo by Miriam Rosenthal, Third Eye Photography

Jason demonstrated his techniques of handbuilding with porcelain, and talked about his painted imagery with his three-dimensional forms. After the demo, the workshop gave a hands-on session with underglaze decoration on a porcelain tile.

(L- R) Inga Hamilton, Jason Walker, Pat Arnold. Inga is here from Northern Ireland for a residency at Flux Studios. photo by Miriam Rosenthal, Third Eye Photography

Flux Studios director Novie Trump introduces Jason Walker at the Smithsonian' Renwick Gallery.

On the Sunday, Jason Walker talked about his work in the Grand Salon at the Renwick Gallery. Read more about Jason in a recent article about his work in American Craft.

Jason Walker talks of his work to the audience at the Smithsonian. photo by Miriam Rosenthal, Third Eye Photography

Jason's solo show "Corporeal Perspectives" at Cross MacKenzie Gallery will be on exhibit through October 31.
Jason Walker received a BFA from Utah State University and an MFA from Penn State University. He has taught at numerous places nationally and internationally, such as Haystack Mountain School for the Crafts, Penland School for the Crafts, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in China and the International Ceramic Studio in Kecskemet, Hungary. He spent two years as an artist- in-residence at The Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, where he was the recipient of the Taunt Fellowship award. He has also been awarded an NCECA International Residency Fellowship for a residency in Vallauris, France. He has work in major collections such as the Fine Art Museum of San Francisco: De Young, the Carnegie Mellon Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the Arizona State University Art Museum, Ceramic Research Center, Tempe, Arizona.

Bringing Light To The Dark Side

Novie Trump is a world renown ceramic artist, working from Flux Studios, located right next door to the Washington Glass School. Her poetic sculptural work often involves depictions of nature - presented in unexpected and captivating ways. 

Novie Trump Escape Installation of porcelain butterflies and ceramic book
Ceramic, Acrylic Rods, Steel 60” x 60” x 24”(variable)

Novie is working on a commissioned artwork piece that came to her via Project 4 Gallery: to create large scale installation that will be located in the new Farmers & Fishers restaurant now being built at the Georgetown waterfront.

Her artwork design calls for many porcelain bees to be clustered around illuminated hives are various locations. The design of the beehive has brought her to the glass studio - and it is a chance for the glass artists to bring Novie over to the dark - or rather - the glassy side.

Erwin Timmers offers some adventurous suggestions to Novie, but from the expressions on both her and Tim Tate's face, they seem unlikely to be incorporated. 

A sample of Novie Trump's porcelain bees

Novie chose to work with illuminated glass - creating a pattern of cellular hive divisions with frit powder fused to glass, and slumped over a tapered form. The WGS fritmaster - Michael Janis - offered Novie some pointers on how to manipulate the powder.

Novie Trump and Michael Janis share a laugh as they work

Novie sifts glass powder onto a sheet of glass

Manipulating frit powder is a delicate operation

Novie Trump and Michael Janis evaluate the glass' progress prior to loading the layer in a kiln for firing

After fusing, the samples are compared by Novie Trump for her preferred selection of color and texture combination 

Novie made many studies of the color and textures and tested the samples with light source alternates.

The glass will later be slumped and a housing for the lighting made in the glass school's welding shop. Novie will be making the rest of her porcelain swarms and fusing the glass in the next few months, and she promises to send us photos of the finished work.