>The artists are out in force, setting up their artwork and info about the glass school. 
Tim Tate and Erwin Timmers installing artwork.
Laurel Lukaszewski and Novie Trump setting up their ceramic artwork on Level 8. 
Erwin Timmers works on 
the electrical connections.
Nancy Donnelly stops in from her artwork on Level 9 to see how progress is on Tim Tate’s artwork.
>Duane Reed Gallery celebrated their 15th anniversary and relocation to the trendy Central West End in St Louis this May. The inaugural exhibition (May 15 – June 13) features fiber sculptor John McQueen and Washington Glass School artist Michael Janis.
L-R Merrill Straus, Duane Reed, Michael Janis, John McQueen, Glenn Scrivner, Gaby Schaefer Naus 
Michael Janis talks about his work and techniques.
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The Washington Post Weekend Section features the Glass School’s 8th Anniversary Open House. Come and join the artists – the surrounding art studios and the entire Gateway Arts District will be filled with events and celebrations! 
Tim Tate ‘Red Devil Box’ photo by AnythingPhotographic
Washington Glass School Open House
Saturday May 16, 2009 Noon til 6 pm
3700 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD 20712
The event is free and open to the public
Click here for the Post’s article.
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The prestigious Duane Reed Gallery has moved to 4729 McPherson Ave. in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, MO. This move, which coincides with the gallery’s fifteenth anniversary, will allow the gallery significantly more space and locates it in a vibrant neighborhood with restaurants, galleries and other businesses.
The Re-Opening Celebration Friday, May 15, 2009.
The gallery will present the work of internationally acclaimed fiber sculptor, John McQueen and Washington Glass School’s Michael Janis as the inaugural exhibitions in the new space.
The exhibitions will open Friday, May 15th with an opening that evening from 6 – 9pm. The exhibitions will run through June 13th.
McQueen uses willow branches, bark, burrs and other natural materials that he strings together to create stunning basket-like sculptures. McQueen “weaves willow twigs into flat open work panels, that are tied together with wax string and built into sculptural constructions. Some works are cage-like while others resemble familiar objects — a book, a desk calendar, a painting.” 
Michael Janis @ St Louis’ Duane Reed.
Dealing with themes of identity and transformation, Michael Janis’ work involves kiln-working fused glass images together in an uneasy juxtaposition, or creating a transparent environment where reflections and shadows remove all boundaries. With a technique called “sgraffito”, the figures and forms are shaped by manipulating glass dust with sifters, brushes and scalpel blades. The delicate nature of glass powder is exploited and the slightest tap can change the frit powder images.
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An odd day – working at the glass studio on Sunday – perfect day -nice & quiet. A neighbor comes to the door – asking if the ducklings under my car are mine. Sure enough, there are 5 baby ducks cowering under the car. In the middle of the decidedly un-pastoral Mount Rainier, MD. No mother duck in site. No body of water in sight – except for the open sewer run-off ditch.
We decide that we should capture the ducks and release somewhere more appropriate – along the bay. The neighbor said that she has raised ducks before, and would take care of them until they were older and could fend for themselves.
A stint of running around trying to capture the ducklings (who run much faster than you might think) and they were all rounded up. What an usual Mother’s Day at the Glass School (& how typical). 
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The 30th edition of a prestigious and important annual selection of the best works in glass worldwide – New Glass Review (Neues Glas) has been published – and included was my work titled “The Tower” from my series of glass panels based on imagery from Tarot Cards.
The Tower by Michael Janis
That piece was selected as part a 100 glass artwork comprehensive study put out each year by the Corning Museum of Glass. 1,047 individual artists from 44 countries submitted a total of 2,974 images for selection by the judges. The judges for this years review included: artist Mieke Groot; glass blower extraordinaire, Dante Marioni; the head of the Rhode Island School of Design glass program, Rachel Berwick, and Corning Museum of Glass’ Tina Oldknow, Curator of Modern Glass. The publication, printed in Germany, includes commentary on the piece by Tina Oldknow :
To introduce my narrative category…(t)he more literal representations included the stories told by Debora Coombs, Ian Mowbray, and especially Michael Janis. … On the other hand, a truly big and dangerous event is depicted in Janis’s “The Tower” Tarot Card. Anyone familiar with the tarot knows that the tower, the 16th card of the major arcana, does not bring glad tidings. I was impressed by Janis’s powerful, sad, and appropriate interpretation of this card as a literal reflection of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
My artwork got votes for inclusion by Mieke Groot, Dante Marioni, and Tina Oldknow.
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photos of Migration Gallery in Booth C-204
The New York Affordable Art Fair opens tonight. The stock market is rising. Consumer confidence is up. Fingers crossed- this promises to be a great week at the Affordable Art Fair, May 7-10.
AAF NYC is the place for new and established collectors to discover and buy paintings, drawings, sculptures, video, photography and limited edition prints from distinguished galleries, all priced from $100 – $10,000. This year the Fair will host more than 60 galleries from the US, Europe, Asia, Canada and South America. Is located 7 West 34th Street, in Midtown Manhattan.
Have a look in on booths C- 104 (Migration Gallery) and D-100 (Mayer Fine Art).
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photo of Tim Tate by Matthew Girard
Tim Tate was awarded the highest prize for sculpture from the Virginia A Groot Foundation this past week.
From over 500 entries, three artists are selected to receive a grant.
Tim’s work in sculpture was selected as an artist of “exceptional talent”.
The mission of the Virginia A. Groot Foundation is to recognize and award artists working three-dimensionally.
Congratulations Tim!
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A 
This group of artists had shown in 
with work by
Well- they’re baack – this time they have brought reinforcements. Glass makers, rock bands and artists are among 37 creative businesses heading to 
Artomatic has gone international! The 5 week arts events opens May 29th, encompassing all floors of a new building at 55 M Street, SE in Washington, DC. 
For an article about the UK superstars like Phil Vickery and more information about Sunderland – click here
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Artist Sean Hennessey is working through some new concepts for mixed media artwork. Sean has been a fast rising star of the DC art scene; his artwork is a unique blend of cast glass, concrete and pigments. Sean has been working with cast metal and steel, and has been welding steel components for his work. His newest series incorporates imagery based on transformation.
Sean discusses his concept sketches and notebook of his designs with Professor Tim Tate.
Click here to see his website.
Click here to see his faux finishing site.
Click here to see his blog.
