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From This:
To This:
As part of the ongoing series titled ” The Process” that documents the methodology of an artist or technique – the work of Erwin Timmers is the feature of today’s pictorial.
Eco-artist Erwin Timmers creates artwork with environmental themes, and he works with materials that are diverted from the waste stream. As he prepares for the upcoming Smithsonian Craft Show, he invited us to have a look at how he starts the casting process as he creates his beautiful glass sculptures.
Working within his concepts of sustainable design and art, Erwin sourced glass from the US Probate Courthouse, in Greenbelt, MD for his artwork that was slated to end up in the trash dump.
Using plastic bottles cleared from the Anacostia River watershed (of which there was plenty to choose from), Erwin coats the bottles with a plaster/silica coating.
Using plastic bottles cleared from the Anacostia River watershed (of which there was plenty to choose from), Erwin coats the bottles with a plaster/silica coating.
Erwin extracts the remains of the plastic bottles from the molds. 
Erwin then takes the cleaned molds and sets them in a bed of sand inside the glass kiln.
Erwin loads the cleaned glass into the reservoirs and sets the kiln. 
After the firing, the glass is divested from the plaster and polished.
I Heart American Craft Council
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Love is in the air
I ♥ Glass
In time for Valentines, the Feb/March 2012 issue of American Craft magazine (published by the American Craft Council) features Washington Glass School Director Michael Janis answering the romantic question: “Who’s Your Platonic Craft Crush”. The new issue also has some great articles about Harvey Littleton and the Studio Glass Movement, and an article about ceramic sculptor Cristina Córdova.
For some reason tho, Michael is made to be yellow. Very yellow. I am (overly) Curious Yellow.
Michael Janis looking either very jaundiced or he’s Bart Simpson’s twin, Hugo.
And just who is Michael Craft Crushing on? Its no secret that it is glass & ceramic artist Christina Bothwell.
Flameworker Simone Crestani
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Them!
The glass will ultimately be filled with neon and charged.
The glass bug anneals at the glass school – shown here sleeping on a nice soft bed of fiberfrax blanket.
Things are all great – until the bug gets all aggressive and charges Rob. Oh, the humanity!
Internet, Images and You
>The internet is an interesting place – one the enables commissions to happen between artists, designers and clients from across the country – or even the entire world. As an example – a cast glass-and-steel work by Washington Glass Studio artist/director Michael Janis was seen by an Atlanta-based art consultant looking for artwork for a new hotel being designed by a Hollywood based interiors firm.
The original work “Liar Paradox” – Fred & Susan Sanders collection.
Photo credit: anythingphoto.net
Original schematic architectural lobby design by Cheryl Rowley Design.
In 2006, an Atlanta based art consultancy sourced Michael’s work from the internet and approached him to make a 6′-0″ version of the work to be the central work in the new Kimpton Hotel that was under construction in the Dupont Circle section of Washington, DC. The new hotel was to be designed and embellished to reflect the hotel’s theme of “Art In Motion” The finished three section cast glass-and-steel work titled “The Gravity Between Us” was built and installed in the lobby. The artwork was named Boutique Hotels Magazine’s “Best Artwork” in 2007.
“The Gravity Between Us” glass and steel sculpture by Michael Janis.
Detail of “The Gravity Between Us” by Michael Janis.
Washington, DC Palomar Hotel.
Viewing through the slabs of cast glass to the hotel lobby.
The internet was integral to the commission of the original work. After being made, the digital images of the large scale sculpture continue onwards – online.
A new GOOGLE image search function allows one to search online for specific or similar images. By dropping an image into the search box and it not only finds all “similar” images around the Internets, but also all the websites where that image is being used.
Class Photo: Intermediate Glass Course
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The “Next Step” fused glass class is well underway, with the students going large. This week, the artists were engrossed in making pattern sheet elements for a large panel fused work. Balance of color, reactions within colors, working with frit powders, stringers and sharpened cutting skills are the mainstay of the class.
Sifting frit glass powder onto glass allows creation of very detailed glass elements.
More of everything is the class motto!.
The day’s work is loaded into the kiln.
Next week’s installment includes creating even larger panels, as well as cutting perfect circles in glass. Can’t hardly wait!.
What Becomes a Legend Most?
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Fireproof space suits.
Our Prof Tate dons his aluminized protective gear to allow him to work on a piece in the kiln.
Molly Ruppert Takes The Prize
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The Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) will name Molly Ruppert as this year’s “Alice Denney Award” for Support of Contemporary Art.
Molly Ruppert
As the director of the Warehouse, a longtime art space and theater in Mount Vernon Square, Molly has curated or juried many DC art shows over the years. Through the Warehouse Gallery, Molly has contributed much to the city. She has made strong connections in this community, and provided an arts center that has fostered an inspiring dialogue with and for contemporary emerging artists in the Nation’s Capital. The Warehouse Next Door has served as a venue for D.C. arts festivals ranging from FotoWeek to Sonic Circuits. Nowadays, the Warehouse acts primarily as a black-box theater and is home to The Passenger where Molly is co-owner with her son, Paul Ruppert.
The award will be announced on Sat, Feb 11, at the opening for Select, this year’s annual art auction. The Feb 11 opening is free and starts off at 6.00 PM.
The eighth-annual award is named after Alice Denney, a curator and founder of the Washington Project for the Arts.
The Washington Glass Studio is proud to have made the glass Alice Denney award for the WPA.
Mick Coughlan turns green under a uv light as he assembles and cold fuses the glass.
Get On the Bus! Call for Bus Public Art
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ROUTE 1 RIDE ANNOUNCES
JURIED PUBLIC ART COMPETITION
Call for Emerging and Established Artists and Designers to Create
Route 1 Mobile Public Artwork
Route 1 Ride Collaborative has announced a call for artists and designers to develop an original work of art. The winning design will be showcased as a bus wrap highlighting the many arts, cultural and entertainment amenities along the Route 1 Corridor, and increase ridership as a way to visit and explore Route 1.
The wrap design, which will be highlighted on TheBus: Route 17, should inspire Route 1 communities from Mt.Rainier to College Park and highlight the unique charms of living, working, and playing in Prince George’s County’s Route One Corridor communities.
In connection with Prince George’s County DPW&T, The Route 1 Ride Collaborative is seeking proposals for original, two-dimensional designs that will be wrapped on the Route 1 Ride buses. One design will be selected to be featured on three buses for a period of at least three years, beginning in the Spring of 2012.
The three selected finalist artist/s / designer/s will receive a $500.00 honorarium for their designs. The final selected artist/s / designer/s receive a $3,000.00 honorarium for their design. The project is generously sponsored by The Route 1 Ride Collaborative and its Municipal members in celebration of the role that the arts play in the Gateway Arts District and the revitalization of Prince George’s County.
Contact:
Stuart Eisenberg
Call for Artist Coordinator
(301) 683-8267
Alex Hirtle
Route 1 Ride Collaborative Coordinator
301-952-3170
For additional information on the Route 1 Wrap Call for Artists or to download an application, please visit
www.Route1Ride.com or www.hycdc.org.Jane Sauer Gallery Serves Up Tim Tate
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February 24 – March 14
Jane Sauer Gallery will have a show of Tim Tate’s glass treats scheduled to coincide with Santa Fe’s 15th annual ARTfeast – a Santa Fe event that raises funds for children, education and the arts.
The works continue Tm’s obsession with miniaturization of objects and the relationship of scale – each work looking good enough to eat! My favorite is “Mostly Chocolate” (- finally a sweet that I can enjoy without guilt!)
From Jane Sauer Gallery: “In conjunction with ARTfeast, we are showing Tim Tate’s delightful cast glass delicacies of pie slices, tarts, ice cream cones, cupcakes, cotton candy, and donuts, artfully arranged in a pyramid of trays underneath a glass dome.”
Jane Sauer Gallery is located on
phone: 505-995-8513