The event includes a pop-up exhibit of over 150 pieces at the Ringling College of Art + Design’s Studio Labs Sound Stage A. Explore four themed curated exhibitions, two solo exhibits, and visit the newly opened Sarasota Art Museum and the Basch Gallery on the Ringling College campus. Additional highlights include a Masterworks Auction, a demonstration by artist John Kiley, artist talks, a Ringling Museum mystery, Habatat-Zoom Live, the Imagine Museum’s Annual Fire and Light Gala.
Hope to see you at the first HUGE glass event of the year!
With social injustice a common theme around the world, we are also currently witnessing the injustices committed against our natural environment. Like our ancestors, we sense nature’s vastness, yet we lack the same respect those indigenous peoples had for nature as a sentient being. We take the Earth’s vastness for granted. What we experience as nature pushing back is nature seeking balance.
Michael Janis: Transformation; cast glass, ceramic
With this exhibit, Fragile Beauty, 33 DC artists seek to bring a sense of balance to an array of environmental injustices. Their art and their vision advocate awareness, mindfulness, consciousness, and stewardship, offering pathways towards personal partnership with our planet. They tell their stories with painting, sculpture, prints, photography, and installations. They inform us of both the joyful and the sorrowful, the woeful and the hopeful. Their work will challenge, enlighten, and inform your sense of wonder for exploring the beauty, power, and magnificent mystery of our home planet. We thank these artists for their commitment to illuminating the importance of nurturing and protecting the fragile beauty of the place we all call home.
Fragile Beauty is the first juried art exhibition initiated by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The new Juried Exhibition Grant provides support for DC artists to exhibit their creative vision to the residents of Washington, DC.
-Jarvis Grant
Featured artists: Tammy Barnes, Jeffrey Berg, Monica Jahan Bose, Elizabeth Casqueiro, Gloria Chapa, Michèle Colburn, Chris Combs, Shaughn Cooper with Kelsye Adams, Frank Hallam Day, Anna U Davis, R.A. Dean, Julee Dickerson-Thompson, Cheryl D. Edwards, David Allen Harris, Michael Iacovone, Michael Janis, Noel Kassewitz, Sally Kauffman, Barry D. Lindley, Patrick McDonough, Regina Miele, Steven Muñoz, Werllayne Nunes, Chelsea Ritter-Soronen, Lisa K. Rosenstein, Carly Rounds, Amanda Sauer, Alexandra Silverthorne, Ira Tattelman, Roderick Turner, Jessica van Brakle, Dawn Whitmore, Bahar Yürükoğlu.
Fragile Beauty May 9 – July 1, 2022 Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm ET
Opening Reception Thu, May 12, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM EDT Masks are required
The Allegany Arts Council Saville Gallery presents Washington Glass School Co- Director Erwin Timmers in a solo exhibition “Reflections in Glass” from February 5 thru February 26, 2022. Recycling, waste, the environment, and the ways in which all three relate to society are recurring themes in his work.
Erwin Timmers cast recycled glass sculpture in the Saville Gallery, Cumberland, MD.
Said Timmers about his body of work on exhibit: “My work revolves around ideas of sustainable design and consumption in the urgent context of pressing societal changes and deepening global ecological concerns. My artwork centers on the craft of design, combining modern and traditional fabrication techniques to develop new material-based knowledge and aesthetics of sustainability. My portfolio aims to spark specific kinds of awareness. “
“The objects I sculpt from recycled materials are moments of intersection and influence. As boundary objects, they play with conventions of form and function, material and method, production and consumption. I work less for the purposes of critique, but rather for the potential to generate open and inviting exchanges. An artist, successfully engaged in creative inquiry, notices, seeks out, or otherwise creates the conditions for novel convergence and the overlapping and dissolution of conventional boundaries. I work at reinforcing metaphors of transformation and change. “
Timmers will also present a talk on how public art transforms communities. The event “Making Our Case For Public Art” is free and open to the public and all are invited to attend. The event will begin with a networking reception at 5:30PM with the program slated to kick off at 6:00PM.
The artists from the Washington Glass School are also on exhibit in a special show, featuring artworks by Tim Tate, Michael Janis, Patricia De Poel Wilberg, April Shelford, Vibha Bhatia and Clayton Lutu.
Timmers is Co-founder and Director of the Washington Glass School and one of the DC area’s leading ‘eco-artists’. Erwin is currently working with architects and designers on several “green” design projects. His work in sustainable design can be seen in some of the large public art projects he has completed, including an award-winning project for the US EPA Ariel Rios South Courtyard Green Infrastructure Project, in Washington, DC, and the public artwork for the LEED certified Safeway supermarket in Bethesda, MD. Montgomery County honored Erwin Timmers as the county’s “Outstanding Artist” in 2018. The Museum of Glass (MOG) in Tacoma, Washington has recently acquired works by Timmers for its permanent collection.
Allegany Arts Council Saville Gallery 9 N. Centre Street Cumberland, MD 21502 Reflections in Glass February 5- 26, 2022
Making Our Case for Public Art Friday, February 25, 2022 • 5:30PM – Cocktail Reception; 6:00PM – Program • Free to attend
“Compositions In Light” public artwork sculpture at Maryland’s Town Center Phase 2.
Washington Glass Studio was commissioned to make a new, two-part public art sculpture installation for the new mixed use residential development, Ansel, in Rockville, MD. Working with the project’s art consultant Artists Circle Fine Arts, the outlined goals were to enhance the location and the urban environment, as well as creating welcoming and colorful place markers that enlivens Rockville Town Center. The client – Duball, LLC – asked that the street placemaking artwork allow for a sense of fun and discovery.
The site – Ansel, 33 Monroe Street, Rockville, MD
The development was named “Ansel”, as spiritual nod to incredible American photographer Ansel Adams. Adams was considered a master of his craft and his experimentation with light gradations, degrees of exposure, and new techniques. Best known for his dramatic photographs of the American West, Adams achieved a popularity that few other photographers have known. Dedicated to wilderness preservation, he succeeded in changing the way Americans perceived their natural environment.
Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams
American photographer Ansel Adams
Creating a strong visual element for the streetscape – while maintaining clear pedestrian circulation – Washington Glass Studio focused on creating an internally illuminated vertical tower – approx 11′ high.
Prelimary studies of sculpture form – based on the classic camera tripod shape.
Named “Compositions In Light”, the sculpture is made of cast glass and powdercoated metal. The inset glass panels in the artwork incorporates artistic references to renowned photographer Ansel Adams – with artistic takes on his photos of still lifes, architecture, and landscapes; his love of nature, and sculptural interpretations of Adams main instrument – cameras.
Plaster mold in kiln
Christina gets the shot!
Convoluted Positions
Duball crew works in the kilns
First firings in kiln
Ansel Adams’ photographs were the inspiration for the sculpted works within the public art.
The powder coated metal structure is arranged in triangular format to reference the classic photographers camera tripod. The shape also gives greater strength both structurally and in profile. The vertical structure supports the LED lighting and allows an even light to the glass wall panel opposite. The glass panels are inset into a removable grid section that is bolted to the structural frame. Each cast glass panel is set into silicone within metal angle surrounds. The metal base has a removable section to allow access to electrical source to tower.
Co-Director Michael Janis performs the QC.
The steel framework for the Rockville, MD public art sculpture.
Dimensional inset panels made of handmade cast glass presents tactile images of nature and objects that refer to Ansel Adams work and career. The varied nature of the artwork mounted in separate panels would invite investigation and exploration.
Shay Summers coldworks one of the artwork inset panels.
The gorgeous, illuminated tower is made up of colorful, tactile cast glass that defines each corner of the site. The inset glass panels are varied, but color coordinated with accent color panels to give a vibrancy to the design. The tapering form leads viewers eyes upward to a unique finial endcap, a cast sculpture that makes a fun, witty and distinctive statement. Dimensional inset panels made of handmade cast glass presents tactile images of nature and objects that refer to Ansel Adams work and career. The varied nature of the artwork mounted in separate panels would invite investigation and exploration.
Erwin Timmers reviews the artwork installation.
The installation onsite of the glass and steel artwork.
Sparkling in the daytime and backlit with energy efficient LED, the glass artwork in “Compositions in Light” will always be a visible presence on the street. The metalwork and thickness of each glass panel make the artwork strong for a streetscape environment. In the history of American conservation, few have worked as long and as effectively to preserve wilderness and to articulate the “wilderness idea” as Ansel Adams. He spent decades in the battle to protect the environment. Helping reinforce the background of Ansel Adams as an environmental activist are the color directions for the artwork. Blues and greens are the colors most associated with nature and the environment.
The interplay of sculpture, the colors & quality of cast glass and the prominent location makes this an integrated urban design that brings focus to the site. The freestanding nature of the installed artwork encourages visitors and residents to walk around the artwork and experience a dynamic sense of place. A sense of playful fun caps each sculpture and helps define the paired artworks. United by form, colorful towers reinforce their connection to the artwork of Ansel Adams with finials inspired by the master photographer’s artwork.
The artwork at night is lit from within with energy efficient LED.
“Compositions In Light”
Project Address: 33 Monroe St, Rockville, MD 20850
Client: Duball, LLC
Maryland’s Rockville Town Center Phase II includes 400 apartment units; 250 market-rate luxury apartments and 150 senior affordable apartments to be owned and managed by the Housing Opportunities Commission.
Artwork Project Team: Erwin Timmers, Christina Helowicz, Tim Tate, Michael Janis, Shay Summers
“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
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 years Art Basel / Miami Art Week is December 2 – 8, 2019. It’s the best time of the year for viewing contemporary art in Florida, if not the entire world. Miami and Miami Beach will be the center of the art world for a week. More than a thousand art galleries from around the world participate in some eighteen art fairs. You’ll see amazing artwork from around the world.
Potomac, MD’s Alida Anderson Art Projects will be presenting new works by WGS Co-Directors Tim Tate and Michael Janis at their gallery in the 15th edition of the PULSE Art Fair.
Tim Tate and Michael Janis’ collaborative glass/mixed media artwork titled: “The Longing for Transcendence” will be on display at Alida Anderson space #501 during Pulse Art Fair.
A new feature for the fair, PULSE Perspectivos, a dual-language series of talks and tours held in English and Spanish. A presentation, “On Identity in the Arts: What Does It Mean to be Latino/a? Latino, Latina, Latin(x), Hispanic…”, held in Spanish at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The conversation will be led by art critic, writer and blogger Florencio Lennox (aka Lenny) Campello who has been spearheading interactive events discussing these issues for the past few years.
El Sentinel / the Sun-Sentinel have already been posting about the upcoming arrival of our glass artist’s works!
PULSE Art Fair is located as Indian Beach Park, 4601 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, and 46th Street with direct access from the beach and the boardwalk.
PULSE Art Fair is open to the public from Thursday, December 5 through Sunday, December 8, 2019. A Private Preview Brunch will be held Thursday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
DMG School Projectannounces that they are accepting applications for two, ONE MONTH long glass residencies.Since its inception in 2015, DMG School Project has been able to provide 11 different in house artist residencies.
The residencies will take place on the DMG Complex in St Petersburg, Florida.
Ideally, these two “Artists In Residence” have worked together or are willing to work together both individually and collaboratively.
Residency includes:
•One Month residency in September 2018.
•Shared lodging included during residency.
•24-hour access to St Pete Hot Glass studio and cold shop; this includes up to 20 hours of glory hole usage and up to 125 pounds of furnace glass per artist, per week.
•$1000 stipend per artist.
•Exhibition in October 2018 featuring new residency work at the Duncan McClellan Gallery.
•Professional photography of exhibition
•Mentorship by Duncan McClellan on the business aspects of being a successful artist. This includes how to effectively market your work, making gallery contacts, and cultivating collectors.
DMG School Project, an educational nonprofit housed within the Duncan McClellan Gallery complex, has received generous grants from the Florida Glass Art Alliance, the Milkey Family Foundation, Hough Family Foundation Inc, Art Alliance of Contemporary Glass, and the Maurice A. And Thelma P. Rothman Foundation, making it possible to offer a four week residency for two emerging glass artists.
Duncan McClellan, President of DMG School Project is a nationally recognized, award-winning glass artist. His distinctive style of masterful craftsmanship and iconic imagery is sought after by public and private collectors throughout the United States and abroad. In 2011, he opened Duncan McClellan Gallery followed by St. Petersburg Hot Glass Workshop, both of which serve as catalysts for the development of the Warehouse Arts District. Based on his philanthropic vision to inspire personal and artistic growth through glass art, he created the educational organization, DMG School Project.
