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The first big workshop, Bas-Relief dry plaster casting at the UK’s National Glass Center had gone well (phew!) The Sunderland arts organization, Creative Cohesion, was participating in the London Affordable Art Fair and had invited Tim Tate and I to exhibit our work in the contemporary art show. Which we readily agreed. Tim, my wife Kay & I jumped on a train down to London, and joined the exhibitors at the fair that had opened a couple of days earlier.
Kay Janis watches the North Sea whizz by on the train to London.
Crowd watching is part of the fun of an art fair and at London AAF it included celebrity-sightings of Johnny Depp and Joanna Lumley (Joanna looks loverly, BTW)
Tim Tate’s artwork was featured in the Creative Cohesion Booth.
L-R Dinner with the Creative Cohesion artists Kay Janis, Tim Tate, Robyn Townsend, Joanne Mitchell, Roger Tye, Anne Tye
Tim Tate tuckered out on return train trip.
Our time in London was too short, soon we were back on the train to Sunderland, and preparing for my multi-day class “Imagery in Glass” that was held in the Architectural Glass Studio of the National Glass Center.
Outlining the basics for getting detailed imagery into fused glass.
Showing the different glass powder tools and how an artist can manipulate imagery.
The master level class is tasked with creating a number of sample panels.
Students drew inspiration from the view over the river.
The first firing of glass powder imagery.
Reviewing fused glass samples with class.
Discussing options for creating effects within the layered imagery.
Jeffrey Sarmiento created a component layer for the class demo project – the artwork suggests creating bridges between the art communities.
Jeffrey Sarmiento
Jeffrey Sarmiento was recently appointed Reader in Glass at the National Glass Center at the University of Sunderland. A Filipino-American artist, he holds an MFA in Glass from the Rhode Island School of Design. His research has led him to work widely in the US and Europe, having been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship Denmark. He was also a finalist for the Louis Comfort Tiffany Award and the Bombay Sapphire Prize. His most recent project is a 600kg glass map, permanently housed in the new Museum of Liverpool.
Liverpool Map Jeffrey Sarmiento and Inge Panneels, 2010
Bombay Encyclopedia
Jeffery Sarmiento talks about his work “Ossify”
Ossify 2010 British Glass Biennale Award Runner up
Emotional Leak Jeffrey Sarmiento & Erin Dickson, 2011
Cate Watkinson
Cate Watkinson trained in 3-D Design, Glass with Ceramics at Sunderland Polytechnic.After leaving college Cate worked in Cambridge and the Channel Islands before returning to the North East to set up her architectural glass studio. Cate continues to run her business, Watkinson Glass Associates, while teaching at the University of Sunderland.
Over the years Cate has built on her experience, optimizing developments in new technologies, including new developments and techniques in construction. She has successfully completed a varied range of commissioned projects from glass public seating in city centers to a 22’ high sculpture for a shopping mall. From a stained glass window for Newcastle Cathedral to a laminated glass screen for the Arrivals Hall at Newcastle International Airport in the UK.
Other research activities include exploring the use of text and light through the public art commission entitled `Total Policing’, a glass and stainless steel sculpture situated at the front of the new head quarters for Northumbria Police in North Tyneside.
Total Policing
Baltic Business Quarter Public art/seating made with recycled glass.
Lookout
Next Up – Creative Cohesion artist development talk, dinner with the Uni Board, and more great UK artists!
>I was impressed with the Baltic Business design in regards to the recycled art seating. It looked like the Art Fair was a great success.