Category Archives: art from recycled material

Erwin Timmers Glass Artwork @ 30th Smithsonian Craft Show

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Among the 121 artists on display this weekend at the 30th annual Smithsonian Craft Show, Erwin Timmers’ glass artwork made from recycled glass sparkle like gemstones.

Erwin (also known as the “KING of Recycling”) uses glass diverted from the waste stream as his main source of raw material for his creations. Environmental integrity may be the inspiration of his work, but the result is pure beauty. Erwin has said that his work looks to bring out the unseen qualities that are often overlooked.

Make sure you stop in at the KING of Recycling’s space at the Smithsonian Craft Show held at the National Building in Washington, DC.

Smithsonian Craft Show
April 19 – 22, 2012
Erwin Timmers – Space 503
National Building Museum
(Judiciary Sq. Metro – Red Line)
401 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001

Posted in art from recycled material, erwin timmers, king of recycling, recycle glass sculpture, smithsonian craft show

Erwin Timmers: The Art of Recycling

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>Erwin Timmers’ artwork and sculpture using recycled and components diverted from the waste stream had caught the eye of a photojournalist, and his work so intrigued her that she made a short documentary about Erwin’s work and philosophy. Below is a link to the video made by Uliana Bazar:

The Art of Recycling With Erwin Timmers from uliana bazar on Vimeo.

Uliana Bazar is currently working on a Masters in New Media Photojournalism at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, DC.

Posted in art from recycled material, eco-art, erwin timmers

The Process – Erwin Timmers Cast Glass Bottles

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From This:


To This:

artist: Erwin Timmers; materials: cast recycled glass


As part of the ongoing series titled ” The Process” that documents the methodology of an artist or technique – the work of Erwin Timmers is the feature of today’s pictorial.

Eco-artist Erwin Timmers creates artwork with environmental themes, and he works with materials that are diverted from the waste stream. As he prepares for the upcoming Smithsonian Craft Show, he invited us to have a look at how he starts the casting process as he creates his beautiful glass sculptures.

Working within his concepts of sustainable design and art, Erwin sourced glass from the US Probate Courthouse, in Greenbelt, MD for his artwork that was slated to end up in the trash dump.

Using plastic bottles cleared from the Anacostia River watershed (of which there was plenty to choose from), Erwin coats the bottles with a plaster/silica coating.

Using plastic bottles cleared from the Anacostia River watershed (of which there was plenty to choose from), Erwin coats the bottles with a plaster/silica coating.

Erwin then fires the molds upside down in the kiln, melting out the plastic bottles.


Erwin extracts the remains of the plastic bottles from the molds.

Erwin then takes the cleaned molds and sets them in a bed of sand inside the glass kiln.

Erwin prepares flower pots act as reservoirs to hold the recycled tempered glass during the firing process.


Erwin loads the cleaned glass into the reservoirs and sets the kiln.

After the firing, the glass is divested from the plaster and polished.

Look for Erwin’s artwork at the Smithsonian Craft Fair – April 19-22, 2012.

Posted in art from recycled material, cast float glass, cast recycled glass, contemporary art glass, the process

Jack Johnson & Glass

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Jack Johnson’s got the whole (glass) world, in his hands.


This past summer we had a blog posting about National Geographic‘s newly created “Arts Ambassador for the Environment Award” – given to entertainers that are leaders in environmental and cultural conservation. The award was designed and made by the Washington Glass Studio from recycled glass. The winner for the inaugural award was singer Jack Johnson. We just received a photo of Jack holding his award.

The creation of the National Geographic Society award was covered in the first of the series called “The Process“. Click HERE to jump to the posting of how the recycled glass award was made using the “lost wax” process.

Posted in art from recycled material, arts ambassador, cast recycled glass, glass award, jack johnson, national geographic, sustainable design