>Readers of the WGS Blog are familiar with the Public Art Project currently underway for Safeway Supermarket’s new LEED Certified building in Bethesda, MD.
Construction of the steel framework is underway & the kilns have been firing nonstop to make the “herb-leaf” inspired bas-relief kilnformed casting.
Layout sketch of a typical architectural bay.
Matt Duffy & Erwin Timmers check the clarity of the glass (mind you, it must not be too much and not be too little – it needs to be just right.)
Erwin check the glass for evenness of form and to make sure the panels will lay flat within the steel framework.
We will post other photos of the process soon!
UPDATE: Click HERE to jump to photos of finished project.
When Hot Glass & Gunpowder Mix…
>From VCU – Kristoff Kamrath creates a hot-shop portrait of Neda using the materials found on every college campus – gunpowder.
I think the imagery and title refer to the death of Neda Agha-Soltan – a bystander whose murder drew international attention after she was killed during the 2009 Iranian election protests. The gunshot that took her life, as well as her last words : “I’m burning, I’m burning!” make this a powerful piece.
Thanks to Superpostition for the link!
10th Annual Bay Area Glass Institute Auction
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Ethan Stern – Saber T
The Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI) Presents its 10th Annual GREAT GLASS AUCTION
Saturday, March 26, 2011 5:30-9:30 pm
Preston Singletary
The Benefit supports emerging glass artists, aspiring students and public glass art education
Come join California Bay Area glass lovers, artists, collectors, and patrons as they bid on nearly one hundred pieces of exquisite fine art glass donated by well-known local, national and international artists at the 2011 Great Glass Auction, on Saturday, March 26, 2011 from 5:30-9:30 p.m., in the Cultural Hall at the Palo Alto Jewish Community Center (JCC). The special evening features silent and live auctions of one-of-a-kind glass art and also awards to outstanding glass artists.
A highlight of the Auction evening will be the announcement of the prestigious Saxe Fellowship Award for outstanding craftsmanship and achievement in glass chosen in a juried competition, as well as the People’s Choice Award, selected by auction attendees, that honors the best piece contributed by a local artist. The Saxe Fellowship jurors this year are: Susan Krane, Executive Director, San Jose Museum of Arts and world renowned collector Dorothy Saxe of San Francisco, California.
Demetra Theofanous
Tax-deductible tickets for the Tenth Annual Great Glass Auction range in price from $150-$1000 are available online at: http://bagi2011.eventbrite.com/. For additional ticket information, please contact Mark Murai at 408.993.2244 or mark.murai@bagi.org.
2011 GLASS ARTISTS: Local and nationally known glass artists confirmed to participate in the 2011 auction include: Mark Abildgaard, Beck Alexander, George Aslanis, Dean Bensen, Melissa and Keith Bispo, Terri Bromberg, Larry Cazes, Tracy Cazes, Vivki Cederquist, , Lionel Chapital, Shirley Cook, Bernard D’Onofrio, Matt Eaton, Steve Fader, Ian Gilula, Linda Goldstein, Justin Green, Shaun Griffiths, Jaime Guerrero, Theoren Hanks, Susan Haskell, Colin Heaney, Ann Hollingsworth, Martin Janecky, Michael Janis, Chris Johnson, Vladimira Klumpar, Ilona Lindsay, Jeff Lindsay, Elizabeth Ryland Mears, Kari Minnick, Chris Moore, Melanie Moertel, Anne Morhauser (Annieglass), Mark Murai, Jay Musler, Rick and Janet Nicholson, Michael Nourot, Tone Orvik, David Patchen, Jenny Pohlman and Sabrina Knowles, Deva Priya, Toland Sand, Jon Scally, Curt Schauer, Jonathon Schmuck, Treg Silkwood and Candance Martin, Preston Singletary, Rich Small, David Sommers, Michael Sosin, Tom Stanton, Ethan Stern, Cassandra Straubing, Randy Strong, Boyd Sugiki and Lisa Zerkowitz, Demi Theofanous, Cappy Thompson, Jane Tivol, Pamina Tryalor, Tom Upchurch, Jennifer Umphress, Char Walker and Mary B. White.
Visit the BAGI website at http://www.bagi.org/ to view the latest artist updates.
New Materiality opens in Milwaukee
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In 2010, the Fuller Craft Museum mounted and exhibition about how new technologies – digital video, computerized design – were being blended with traditional craft materials to forge new artistic visions, titled The New Materiality: Digital Dialogues at the Boundaries of Contemporary Craft Curated by Fo Wilson, the show featured works by WGS’ Tim Tate. The exhibition has traveled to the Milwaukee Art Museum – opening March 10 – June 12, 2011.
Click HERE to jump to Milwaukee Art Museum’s web posting of the show.
British New Wave Glass
>The UK’s Crafts Council presents new work by 17 pioneering British glass makers as a way to illustrate contemporary ideas developed from traditional glass blowing processes. The traveling exhibition is presented as the “British new wave”. While the exhibition claims to feature a new wave, some artists remain more rooted in the Studio Glass movement than some of their more experimental American counterparts.
El Ultimo Grito’s ‘Apartments’ is an imaginary architectural form created from repurposed scientific glass products. On first viewing, the pieces seem to be lifted from the laboratory but on closer inspection their function has been re-appropriated; they are models of futuristic glass apartments.
Joanna Manousis’ ‘Reaching an Ulterior Realm’ that presents us with what looks like helium mounted targets fired at by arrows (with varying degrees of success). The targets are not as fluid and the arrows not as light as we imagine however, as it becomes apparent they are made of solidified blown glass
Alongside the glass work is a newly commissioned film “Sing in Sand and Roar in Furnace Fire” to show how glassblowing is a controlled, balletic, and choreographed practice. The duet explains through interpretive dance the elements of trust, cooperation and synchronicity and how that is necessary for the production of glass art.
Urban Glass’s Glass Quarterly blog features more info on the show – click HERE.
For the “Breath-Taking” gallery guide pdf – click HERE.