“The Critiqued” @ Otis Street Arts Project Exhibit and 1st Anniversary Celebration!

On Saturday April 2, next door studio Otis Street Arts Project will be celebrating their one year anniversary with a special exhibit and afterparty. 

The Critique is a formal critical discussion of invited artists led by a DC area arts professionals

“The Critiqued” is an exhibition of 13 artist that have participated in the series of formal critical discussions of invited artists led by a DC area arts professionals.

The evening will begin with a reception for the opening of The Critiqued, an exhibition of 13 artists who have participated in The Critique, a quasi-monthly series produced by Otis Street Arts Project. For this exhibit, the invited artists will each be showing one piece each that reflects the conversations pertaining to their works. This special exhibit illustrates the growing arts community and inclusiveness of the Gateway Arts District and Otis Street Arts Project’s community building.

The night will continue with a dance party featuring DJ New spinning an eclectic mix from Go-Go to New Orleans Brass Bands to House grooves.

Otis Street Arts Project has had an exciting year of events, exhibitions and art making. Founded in Spring of 2015, they have opened their doors to tour groups, student groups, bands, DJ’s, art critics, artists, art collectors, and the general public. For their one year anniversary, they are throwing open their doors to the public for a fantastic evening of Visual Art, Performance Art, and Music.

Come and celebrate with Otis Street Arts Project and the talented Artists in this exciting invitational exhibit.

“The Critiqued” Exhibiting Artists:
Zofie Lang
Christian Tribastone
Ceci Cole McInturff
Amy Hughes Braden
Jose Fernandez
Alexandra Silverthorne
Fallon Chase
Amber Robles-Gordon
Joan Belmar
Katie Pumphrey
Steven Durow
Jacqui Crocetta
Stephanie Booth

Otis Street Arts Project

3706/ 3708 Otis Street

Mount Rainier, MD 20712

Opening Reception : Saturday April 2 5:00-10:00

Reception 5:00-7:00; Performance 7:00; Music 8:00 onward.

Exhibit runs through April 30

 

Bullseye Glass Needs Some Help

bullseye-logo-websiteThere has been a lot of charges flying in Portland, Oregon following concerns by state regulators over alarming concentrations of dangerous substances – carcinogenic metals cadmium and arsenic- in the air around the Southeast Portland Bullseye Glass (BE) manufacturing facility and whether Bullseye Glass understands the public interest and if they support stronger environmental standards for the industry.

BE has posted a letter outlining how the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing a set of sweeping “temporary” regulations that will severely curtail BE’s glass production, which BE feels is without clear supporting scientific evidence or an understanding of how they make colored glass. 

The primary issue is the use of trivalent chromium—also referred to as Cr(III). Both DEQ and EPA have acknowledged there is no clear evidence of acute or chronic health risks based on BE’s use of Cr(III). The limitations proposed are based on politics and anchored in speculation that Cr(III) might possibly change into a more toxic form of chromium—Cr(VI) in our furnaces. 
 
Scientific evidence clearly indicates the furnaces won’t turn Cr(III) into Cr(VI). If they did, the BE glass would be ruined. According to BE, Cr(III) is essential to BE producing colored glass.

According to BE: “Scientific evidence shows our use of the compound is not harmful. Nevertheless, DEQ wants to restrict Bullseye from using Cr(III) for an extended period of time. They are essentially basing these rules on an assumption of guilt without any proper supporting scientific or factual evidence.
 
These newly proposed regulations are based on politics and fear, not science and fact. They come right after DEQ’s executive director was forced to resign and the supervisor of the air quality department left the agency. 
 
If we are not allowed to use Cr (III), we can no longer make green glass. On top of our voluntary suspension of cadmium glass production until our baghouse is in place, this new limitation would eliminate 50% of our product line. It would result in employee layoffs, huge economic impacts to Bullseye and our worldwide customers, and could even drive us out of business. 

Until March 30, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality wants to know your opinion on whether or not to adopt temporary rules that are targeted to affect only one specific industry – the colored art glass industry.They could set a precedent that could affect every other colored glass manufacturer in the United States.

Again, DEQ is accepting public comment regarding the temporary rules until March 30 at 5:00 pm (PDT). To read the draft rules and submit comments, visit http://1.usa.gov/1LtqPaY

Bullseye asks for messages of support be sent: Please let DEQ and the Environmental Quality Commission know whether you agree with the points, and let them know how you would be affected by the temporary or permanent loss of Bullseye’s products.”

Click HERE to jump to Bullseye Glass’ message.

WPA Alice Denney Award for Support of Contemporary Art

Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) serves as a catalyst for the creation, critique, and collection of contemporary art. With more than 800 artist members, the WPA is the only DC-area organization to support visual artists at all stages of their careers.

2016 Washington Project for the Arts new custom creative glass art award

2016 Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) Alice Denney Award for Support of Contemporary Art

Initiated in 2006, the Washington Project for the Arts Alice Denney Award for Support of Contemporary Art is named for Alice Denney, the founder of the Washington Project for the Arts, and is presented annually to honor an individual who has supported the organization for a period of many years and has made a sustained commitment to the greater DC art’s community.

WPA has announced that Fred Ognibene will be the 2016 recipient of the Alice Denney Award for Support of Contemporary Art, and the award has been made by the Washington Glass School.

The award will presented by Andres Tremols at the opening reception of the WPA Auction Exhibition, March 31, 2016 at 8pm.

WPA AUCTION WEEK will kick off with an opening reception on Thursday, March 31, from 7 – 9 pm. 

Click HERE to jump to WPA Gala online page.

No Dim Bulbs in Lighting Class!

Erwin Timmers instructs one of the lighting class students.

Erwin Timmers instructs one of the lighting class students.

Erwin Timmer’s artistic lighting class these past few weeks brought some serious color to the studio – really brightening up the studio!

Over the three week class, students completed a number of lighting designs, ranging from pendant to wall sconces and table lamps. Great to see how each created functional art that reflected the tastes and aesthetics of each of the artists. This was certainly a class that put forth the effort in the design!

Vibha's glass design was dazzling!

Vibha’s glass design was dazzling!

Students designed and made the glass as well as assembled the mounting hardware.

Students designed and made the glass as well as assembled the mounting hardware.

Louis Comfort Tiffany would have been jealous of the glass created for the light fixture.

Louis Comfort Tiffany would have been jealous of the glass created for the light fixture.

Jerrelee loves her light fixture that relates to her artwork.

Jerrelee loves her light fixture that relates to her artwork.

Tim Tate @ Florida’s Art Boca Raton and Benzaiten Center

11012806_877464305630632_6990572046612401081_oArt Boca Raton 2016

Friday, Mar 18, 2016 to Monday, Mar 21, 2016  – Booth #110 

Michigan’s Habatat Galleries will be exhibiting the work of Laura Donefer, Tim Tate, Udo Zembok, Alex Bernstein, Dan Dailey, Michael Glancy, Bretislav Novak Jr., Clifford Rainey, Ethan Stern, Peter Bremers, Michael Behrens, Christina Bothwell, Marlene Rose and Vivian Wang at Florida’s Art Boca Raton contemporary art fair.

Tim Tate; "Vitruvian Visions"36 x 36 x 4"; Glass, Aluminum, Poly-Vitro, Electronics

Tim Tate; “Vitruvian Visions”; 36 x 36 x 4″; Glass, Aluminum, Poly-Vitro, Electronics. photo credit: Pete Duvall/Anything Photographic


Art Boca Raton

International Pavilion of the Palm Beaches
at the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University
3450 NW 8th Avenue, Boca Raton, FL 33431

Tim Tate will also be featured at the Benzaiten Center for the Creative Arts in nearby Lake Worth, FL.

The Benzaiten Center’s mission is to support the creation of significant new works of art, collaboration between peers across multiple media and instruction from master to emerging artists.

On Friday, March 18th, 6- 8pm Tim will be at the Gallery Opening featuring his work and a discussion about 21st Century Narrative glass artwork.

tim_tate.florida.benzaiten_center.arts.jpg
On Saturday, March 19th, Tim Tate – as the featured artist along with Benzaiten’s Creative Director Rick Eggert and the Center’s glass crew – will be performing a glass blowing demo as he creates new work for SOFA Chicago at the Glasstronomique fundraiser.

Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts

1105 2nd Avenue South

Lake Worth, Florida 33460

NCAGG “See The Light” @ VisArts Gibbs St Gallery

ncaggThe National Capitol Art Glass Guild (NCAGG) has a juried member show opening in Rockville, MD.

The show, titled “See The Light” will be at the Gibbs Street Gallery at VisArts in Rockville, MD from April 1 to May 1, 2016.

Congratulations to WGS artists whose work was selected: Veta Carney & Patricia Kent

Trish Kent, Dress Series, kilnformed glass

Trish Kent, Dress Series, kilnformed glass

Veta Carney, "Ursa Major". cast, blown, sandblasted and lampworked glass, ultraviolet light. photo: Pete Duvall

Veta Carney, “Ursa Major”. cast, blown, sandblasted and lampworked glass, ultraviolet light. photo: Pete Duvall

The NCAGG Exhibit Jurors:

Pati Young (Board member of the American Craft Council, art collector), 

Jack Devine (Principal Partner of Artists Circle Fine Art, Member of the VisArts Artist Advisory Council, VisArts Board of Directors, and Chair of the Gallery Committee),and

Kari Minnick (Internationally recognized glass artist and teacher)

See the Light

Gibbs Street Gallery

155 Gibbs Street, Rockville, MD  20850

Opening Reception: Friday, April 8, 7 – 9 PM

Artists Talk and Demonstration: Sunday, April 24, 2 PM

Dean Allison’s Glass Sculpture Finalist in Smithsonian Portrait Competition

What would the earth look like if shadows disappeared?; 15 x 20 x 16 inches; cast glass

Dean Allison; “What would the earth look like if shadows disappeared?”; 15 x 20 x 16 inches; cast glass

Introduced to glass in 1998 at Illinois State University, Dean Allison currently is a 3-year resident artist at the Penland School of Crafts. Dean’s work is an exploration of portrait sculpture in glass. He celebrates intrinsic beauty through physical form and through the afflictions and joys of life’s many stages. He begins with a life cast of his subject, usually a friend or family member. The final portrait, made in cast glass and resin, expresses the fragility and transparency of human experience through a medium that inherently captures those qualities. The artist notes, “I’m thinking about the inside/invisible aspect of a person and the outside/visible aspect that one creates and adorns for external display. Glass is the middle ground, the window to look through.”

Dean’s cast glass sculpture was one of the 43 finalists selected from the competition’s more than 2,500 entries received. 

Every three years, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery hosts the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.  The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery focuses on the important role that contemporary portraiture could play in the life of the gallery, as well as in heralding the museum’s engagement with figurative art and portraiture in today’s world. The exhibit “The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today” will run March 12, 2016 – January 8, 2017.

Vote for the “People’s Choice” selection of the finalists – here – (be like Chicago-born Dean and vote early & often!)

Dean Allison's sculpture at the Smithsonian. L-R Nancy Kerr, Tim Tate, Dean Allison

Dean Allison’s sculpture at the Smithsonian. L-R Nancy Kerr, Tim Tate, Dean Allison

 

 

JRA SPRING CRAFT WEEKEND 2016!

James Renwick Alliance JRA SCW 2016 Join the James Renwick Alliance (JRA) for Spring Craft Weekend 2016 on April 1-3 for a joyful celebration of American Craft.

Spring Craft Weekend is a fabulous three day celebration of works made in ceramics, fiber, glass, metal and wood…where Craft as Art is explored in many forms. The JRA honors individuals or organizations in the craft world who have made significant and pioneering contributions in craft education.

This year’s Spring Craft Weekend includes a free symposium on Saturday, April 2 at the recently renovated Smithsonian Renwick Gallery – 10:30 am – 12:00pm.

Saturday Symposium panel: Stuart Kestenbaum, Chair, Board of Trustees of the American Craft Council and former Director of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, will chair a panel discussion with four renowned artists: Theresa Secord, founder of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance; Sonya Clark, fiber artist and Chair of the Craft and Material Studies Program at VCU; David Keefe, creator of Combat Paper NJ in New Jersey; and Alleghany Meadows, studio potter and founder of Artstream Nomadic Gallery.

Saturday Symposium panel: Stuart Kestenbaum, Chair, Board of Trustees of the American Craft Council and former Director of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, will chair a panel discussion with four renowned artists: Theresa Secord, founder of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance; Sonya Clark, fiber artist and Chair of the Craft and Material Studies Program at VCU; David Keefe, creator of Combat Paper NJ in New Jersey; and Alleghany Meadows, studio potter and founder of Artstream Nomadic Gallery.

 

For more info on Spring Craft Weekend & to register for the events – click HERE.

 

 

The James Renwick Alliance is an independent national
nonprofit organization, created to recognize the achievements of
America’s craft artists and to foster scholarship, education and public
appreciation of craft art. Founded in 1982, the Alliance contributes to
the nation’s showcase of contemporary American craft, the Smithsonian
American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.
with acquisitions for the permanent collection, exhibitions support
and education and scholarship programs.

Bullseye Glass: List of Suspended Glass Colors

Bullseye Glass has been at the center of controversy about Portland, OR air pollution ever since early February, when Oregon regulators asked the company to stop using the carcinogenic metals cadmium and arsenic. The request was prompted by tests showing high concentrations of the pollutant in nearby air.

Bullseye Glass and Uroboros glass have agreed to stop using cadmium and arsenic in their manufacturing, along with a third and more toxic metal, chromium. A list of Bullseye  Glass colors affected by the manufacturing change was obtained by Washington Glass School – as follows:

Bullseye Glass

Bullseye Glass colors and code