John Henderson; Peoples’ Community Lutheran Church. Dimensions: 8ft x 18”, Glass/cast glass and cloth on wood panels. Title: God Is Great
John Henderson, glass artist sculptor (and a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pimlico) recently created, designed, and installed an outdoor art sculpture for People’s Community Lutheran Church of Baltimore.
John Henderson; “God is Great”; Glass/cast glass and cloth on wood panels.
The sculpture represents all of the African Descent congregations’ connectiveness, in the DEMD Synod.
John Henderson; “God Is Great” detail.
The artwork, titled “God is Great” consists of kilnfused glass Adinkra symbols, layered on Kente fabric and dimensional cast glass panels measuring 16″x16″. The symbol called “Gye Nyame” represents the supremacy of God.
Bishop Gohl, of the Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA enthused about the newest public art sculpture.
Congratulations to John and the Peoples’ Community Lutheran Church!
“Essential Connections” by Washington Glass Studio, 18’L x 4’H, cast glass, LED. 2021
The Process: Public Art – “Essential Connections” Washington Glass Studio (WGS) –J-Sol Apartment Complex, 4000 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA
Daytime view of “Essential Connections” sculpture in Arlington, VA.
Jefferson Apartment Group with Mitsui Fudosan America developed the Arlington, VA corner site formerly home to the sports bar CarPool into a 22-story, LEED Gold-certified high-rise called J-Sol, with residential units atop ground-floor retail and parking. Working with Toronto, Canada art consultant Oni-One Sourcing owner Paula Fleck, the preliminary designs were initiated in April of 2019, well before the pandemic lockdowns. Different concepts for both design and location of artwork to enhance the new J-Sol residential development were presented to the client.
Original concept sketch
Erwin Timmers and Michael Janis review the structural steel.
Framing the corner location of the new plaza at Fairfax Drive and North Quincy St. in Arlington, VA, the sculpture is made of almost 100 individual hand cast glass panels set into a bold geometric framework of acute angles that references the sculptural qualities of the new J-Sol building. The sculpture defines the location and creates a new sense of place with the layering of color, light and shadow. Merging architecture and design with their signature material, glass, the overall presentation of the sculpture is aimed to reflect our modern society and urban space.
Meticulously fitting glass into framework.
The varieties of techniques and layers of colors provide complex visual experiences is part of the works’ aesthetic pleasure.
An exploration of color, texture and pattern overlay.
The inspiration for the Arlington public artwork, “Essential Connections” is how much our world has changed. The artwork draws inspiration from our attempt to find new and innovative ways to reach out and connect with each other.
Night view of “Essential Connections” sculpture by Washington Glass Studio.
As WGS Co-Director Tim Tate noted of the work: “…Our goal was to create something memorable out of daily patterns of coming and going home.” The rainbow mix of colors – each a strength unto itself – is much more powerful in combined with others. The color palette itself references nature in its yellows, blues and greens, the sun, the water and sky, the grass and trees. Stylized elements of nature will be incorporated into several the crafted glass panels – emphasizing our renewed awareness of our environment.
The colors and patterns define this public space in Arlington, VA.
The artwork’s dynamic shape forms a translucent cornerstone of sorts – inviting all into the plaza for walking, sitting, and all manner of activities conducted in the park. The new artwork help create a place for people to enjoy, feel connected and remember. Using the timeless fundamentals of light and color to define the space we made a vibrant backdrop to define the area with exuberance and life.
The public response has been immediate – during installation many passerbys came up excitedly to the sculpture – wanting to take “selfie shots” at Arlington’s newest landmark.
The artworks’ youngest fan points out their favorite glass panel inset. DC art enthusiast Anthony Adero strikes a casual pose at the new sculpture.
Project Details:
Location: 4000 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22203 (N Quincy St & Fairfax Dr) Washington Glass Studio Public Art Team: Michael Janis, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Christina Helowicz.
Erwin Timmers and Christina Helowicz the sculpture’s internal LED lighting.
Structural Steel: Criss Brothers Number of Glass Tile Insets: 97
WGS installation team L-R: Michael Janis, Ryan Henderson, Christina Helowicz, Erwin Timmers
State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia opened a stunning new exhibit: GLASSTRESS. WINDOW TO THE FUTURE, that runs from 11 September to 31 October 2021. The latest edition of Glasstress, the internationally acclaimed exhibition that showcases artworks made with glass by contemporary artists, is a joint venture by The State Hermitage Museum with Fondazione Berengo and Berengo Studio, and features an array of award-winning artists from around the world.
This isn’t the first time Berengo Studio has worked with the Hermitage. In fact, back in 2015 the exhibition Glasstress 2015 Gotika, was organized by the State Hermitage and held in the Palazzo Franchetti in Venice during the Venice Biennale. The display included items from the museum’s collection – armour, religious objects, and other works of applied art made in the Gothic and Neo-Gothic styles – that were presented in a dialogue with pieces created by contemporary artists in Murano at Berengo Studio. This year, the works of over fifty contemporary world renown artists created works inspired by “the future”.
Glasstress. Window to the Future is one of the museum’s largest exhibitions of contemporary art, occupying more than ten halls, including the monumental expanse of the Grand Enfilade and White Hall, as well as the intimate spaces of the Courtyard Gallery and the Red Halls in the General Staff Building. They will become the setting for miniature sculptures, large-scale installations, chandeliers several metres in size and even video art. The works reflect the artists’ striking complex ideas and show how glass can be “pushed out of its comfort zone” and combined with other materials.
Participating artists: Ai Weiwei, Erdağ Aksel, Polly Apfelbaum, Charles Avery, Miroslaw Balka, Fiona Banner, Renate Bertlmann, Monica Bonvicini, Penny Byrne, Loris Cecchini, César, Jake & Dinos Chapman, Mat Collishaw, Petah Coyne, Tony Cragg, Jimmie Durham, Jan Fabre, Josepha Gasch-Muche, Kendell Geers, Abdulnasser Gharem, Michael Joo, Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, Marya Kazoun, Karen Lamonte, Vik Muniz, Hans Op De Beeck, Tony Oursler, Mimmo Paladino, Cornelia Parker, Anne Peabody, Jaume Plensa, Laure Prouvost, Qiu Zhijie, Antonio Riello, Sean Scully, Wael Shawky, Sudarshan Shetty, Song Dong, Lino Tagliapietra, Tim Tate, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Kaneuji Teppei, Gavin Turk, Koen Vanmechelen, Joana Vasconcelos, Fred Wilson, Wu Jian’an, Erwin Wurm, Yin Xiuzhen.
The Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize Award and Exhibition Application Deadline: Friday, October 22, 2021 Exhibition: September 9, 2022 – March 18, 2023 In celebration of its 25th anniversary in 1997, Pittsburgh’s Center for Contemporary Craft established a $5,000 prize for excellence in the field of contemporary craft. This biennial award, which is given in conjunction with a catalogue, video profile and juried exhibition, is funded by the daughters of Elizabeth R. Raphael, the founder of Contemporary Craft and a nationally known figure in the contemporary art scene for many decades. Prizes are selected by medium, with the designated medium changing with each biennial award. The 2022 prize will be awarded for a work in glass.
MEDIA CRITERIA
The 2022 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize competition is open to all artists working in glass. Emerging artists are especially encouraged to apply.
THEME
The prize will be awarded to a work created between August 2021 and July 2022 that addresses the theme of “transformation.”
JURYING PROCESS
Jurying will take place in two phases. From the initial submissions, a group of finalists will be invited to submit a work on the selected theme for the final jurying and inclusion in the Raphael Prize exhibition. Only one work per artist may be provided for final jurying. Artists are eligible to include work made after August 2021.
DEADLINE
All digital entries must be received by 5 pm Friday, October 22, 2021.
JURORS
A six-member panel will select finalists from the initial submissions, and also select the prize-winning entry. Jurors will include: Heather McElwee, Randi & L. Van V. Dauler, Jr. executive director, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA; Anna Rothfuss, project development manager, Derix Art Glass Consultants, LLC U.S., Portland, OR; Alexandra Raphael, enameller, London, England; Catherine Raphael, metalsmith and storyteller, Pittsburgh, PA; Rachel Saul Rearick, executive director and Kate Lydon, director of exhibitions, Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh,PA.
ELIGIBILITY
Open to exceptionally talented artists who are in the early, mid or late stages of their career and reside in the United States or abroad.
APPLICATION DETAILS
Application materials must include:
1) Resume (2-page maximum) in doc or pdf format (file size must be under 1MB);
2) 4 Representative Images similar in quality and nature to the work the artist would enter if selected as a finalist, images need not be the exact pieces the artist intends to enter (file size for each image must be under 2MB);
3) Image Details including: title, year, medium, size, retail value
4) Non-refundable Entry Fee* of $45 payable online or via check payable to Contemporary Craft, 5645 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Previous Raphael Prize videos may be viewed at: https://contemporarycraft.org/exhibitions/elizabeth-r-raphael-founders-prize.
More information and to apply: https://contemporarycraft.org/exhibitions/elizabeth-r-raphael-founders-prize/
Contemporary Craft 5645 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Contemporary Craft has relocated to its new, permanent home in the Upper Lawrenceville neighborhood in Pittsburgh, PA and opened its doors to the public on September 3, 2020.
Through its mission of engaging the public in creative experiences through contemporary craft, the organization offers meaningful art opportunities through four core values:
Providing vital support for artists Filling critical gaps in public education Sharing cross-cultural perspectives Using art to build community.
This Friday, September 3rd, Michigan’s Habatat Galleries presents the opening of Glass Art Fair exhibition at 11:00 a.m. ET. This will be the VIP preview day for the online art fair as it opens to the public virtually the next day. This presentation includes many of available works that will be featured in the Habatat Galleries 50th in-person celebration.
Michael Janis’ kilncast glass is featured in Habatat Galleries 50th Anniversary exhibit.
Artists from around the world have been invited to this event and the gallery expects a large turnout since all have been apart for so long. During the pandemic Habatat has been pioneering the world of virtual glass art events including Glass49, GlassArtFair, the new annual Not Grandma’s Glass exhibition, and the highly apropos Viral Glass exhibition. Director Aaron Schey has created a treasure trove of digital presentations over the last year via Habatat Now programs which are viewable on YouTube.
Gallery founder Ferdinand Hampson shares his thoughts about Habatat’s Legacy: Founded in 1971, Habatat has promoted, legitimized, and elevated a new art material to a point of recognition by the art community. Fifty years later we evolved with glass. We continue our efforts towards the mainstream though we are no longer outsiders. Fine art collectors, museums, and noted art publications have in many cases recognized the medium and shared in the excitement of what this material can do and be, in the hands of creative artists worldwide.
Tim Tate and Michael Janis’ collaborative work – “The Poetry of Everyday Objects” is featured.
John Henderson’s sculpture being installed at the park site.
This summer, WGS Studio artist John Henderson has been working with emerging young artists from Baltimore, MD to create new public art sculptures and murals. Baltimore’s “Arts On The Avenue (AOTA ) Program ” – is a place-based outdoor public arts initiative centered on residential neighborhoods and commercial districts undergoing community transformation. AOTA projects are site specific, with the intent of beautifying outdoor public spaces that promote peoples health, happiness, and well being.
Artist John Henderson presents certificates to each of the community participants.All those who participated in the AOTA.
In addition to beautification of public spaces, another goal of AOTA is exposing children & youth to the creating process. This creative process or art therapy is more about the process not the outcome. In working with children and youth, this non verbal process in which the activities embodies the person and the expression is projected on the canvas. The end result is a finished mural. There can be discussions around what was created or not or a contemporary theme, such as “What is Family to You”, the therapy works to release emotions from deep within. We believe that this method of inserting young people to the visual arts has proven to be an effective efficient way of handling and overwhelmed PTSD, while at the same time creating a healthier community and improving the quality of life for the participants and residents in the community.
The community celebrates the completed works of art!Baltimore City youth participating in a AOTA mural project
The Arts on the Avenue (AOTA) Program places culturally relevant artworks, created by local artist, along major vehicular corridors and identifiable gateways into a community. AOTA’s purpose is to stimulate revitalization efforts, in priority investment areas that align with local government neighborhood development strategies, attract new investments into communities, build strong connections with community stakeholders, and improve the quality of life for the residents through its ability to ignite the imagination, encourage thought and to prompt discourse.
Detail of the mural shows a bold, fun mix of colors.
The CCBC offers classes to the public that are designed to enlighten and offer social and cultural enrichment. Led by knowledgeable glass collector Howard Cohen, the CCBC will hold a tour of the Washington Glass School on November 16, 2021.
It will be the Best Class Ever. The more you know!
In Washington, DC- the perfect thing to do is visit a museum! The Phillips Collection’ new exhibit “Inside Outside Upside Down” features works by WGS artists Tim Tate & Michael Janis! Below is installation view, “Inside Outside, Upside Down” at the The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, July 12 – September 17, 2021.
Photograph by Gregory R. Staley. Image courtesy of The Phillips Collection.
Or… if one can’t get to the museum- take a virtual online 3D tour! Click HERE to jump to Phillips Collection online tour.
Image of 3D tour courtesy of The Phillips Collection.
Featuring dynamic work across media by 64 artists of the greater DC region, this juried invitational celebrates The Phillips Collection’s 100th anniversary, building on the legacy of founder Duncan Phillips and his commitment to presenting, acquiring, and promoting the work of artists of the greater DC region.
SPECIAL EXHIBITION – JULY 17-SEPTEMBER 12, 2021
Inside Outside, Upside Downoffers a slice of the turbulent past year, one that left us confused, battered, and disoriented. Out of the palpable thoughts and feelings expressed in the works on view, five themes emerged: “Innocence Interrupted” recognizes the young children and young adults whose lives were upended by the constant fear and uncertainty brought on by so much violence and death; “Days of Reckoning and the Right to ‘Be’” speaks to the forced realization that our country is at a major crossroads, as many long-established societal systems have become increasingly out of touch, obsolete, and even detrimental to a population whose needs are constantly evolving; “Bearing Witness” represents the artists who document the times in which they live, making sure that we record, reflect, and remember; “Introspection and Reflection” examines what happens when Washington, DC, is forced to come to a standstill, with some of us sitting quietly with ourselves, while others had to confront the dynamics of their relationships; and “Hope and Healing” illustrates how art has the ability to help us process and heal in times of pain and great loss, allowing us to celebrate the simple joys in life.
Taken together, the works in this exhibition affirm the human need to make sense of traumatic experiences and ultimately transcend them, either by creating from that place or in spite of it. In this way, these works offer a collective call for healing. They invite us to appreciate the beauty in the world around us, find comfort in our family and friends, and unearth the things that are revealed to each of us when life requires us to sit still with ourselves.
Asheville, NC’s Center for Craft is the founding partner of Warren Wilson College’s Master’s in Critical Craft Studies—the first and only low-residency graduate program in craft history and theory. They are developing a directory of self-identified Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) working through craft today, and will continue to gather listings until August 31, 2021.
This project is a directory and a tool on what conversations come next? How does research catalyze community, action, and visibility?
Why focus on Asian American and Pacific Islanders working through craft?
According to the Pew Research Center, Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing groups in the US since 2000. Despite nearly 23 million Asian American in the US population, a recent study by Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change (LAAUNCH) found that 58% of their respondents could not name a prominent Asian American (Hint: Vice President Kamala Harris).
Drawing inspiration from the Black Power Movement, students at the University of California, Berkeley are credited with unifying pan-Asian groups under the term “Asian American” in the 1960s. This grouping deliberately rejected the outdated, geographically-based, and problematic term “Oriental.”
In the 1980s, the U.S. Census expanded the category, combining Asian American and Pacific Islanders. Today, this governmentally-determined grouping feels too broad to many, as it includes more than 20 countries and thousands of Pacific Islands, each with unique histories, cultures, languages, and craft histories.
This project is intended to catalyze conversations, be a conversation starter and to bring people of AAPI heritage together.
If you are a craft researcher, please consider this directory a tool for making connections. Instead of reading about the Center for Craft , talk directly with them to understand who the AAPI are, what we make, and how we shape American Craft.
ROLODEX. Craft a Conversation at the Center for Craft, Jun 4–Aug 20, 2021
Currently, at Asheville’s Center for Craft in the John Cram Partner Gallery is ROLODEX. Craft a Conversation. This exhibit, curated by Namita Gupta Wiggers is this project is centered on the people of the AAPI craft communities, their descriptions of themselves, and their connections to craft – rather than on the objects they create.
