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Washington Post on the DC Glass Scene Seen at Artomatic

Posted on April 14, 2024 by admin |

Washington Post article on 2024 Artomatic exhibit

Great review of Artomatic culture event in the Washington Post. Art critic Mark Jenkins enjoys the all-sorts arts experience and singles out the glass art for comment, including using WGS artist Michael Janis’ artwork titled “Waiting for the Moments that Never Come” as the illustrative work for the show. Writes Mark:

“…Among the various business and governmental sponsors of this year’s Artomatic is a small but internationally renowned arts group, the Washington Glass School. The Mount Rainier, Md., studio has taken a large chunk of the building’s fifth floor to showcase the elegant creations of co-founders Tim Tate and Erwin Timmers and several other glass virtuosos. Tate, who credits Artomatic with playing a significant role in his career, is showing a sculpture that riffs on Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man.” The provocatively androgynous update positions eight glass figures — male, female and combined — in a circle surrounded by mirrors and lights that simulate a sense of endless replication…”

In the galleries: Artomatic: Unpretentious, approachable, convivial – Review by Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, April 5, 2024

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/art/2024/04/05/art-gallery-shows-dc-area/

By contrast – have a read about how the Washington Post art critic Blake Gopnik thought of the 2004 Artomatic exhibit:

…”The result is the second-worst display of art I’ve ever seen. The only one to beat it out, by the thinnest of split hairs, was the 2002 Artomatic, which was worse only by virtue of being even bigger and in an even more atrocious space, down by the waterfront in a vacant modern office building. I won’t dwell on the art. And I certainly won’t name names…There may just be a few decent things hidden in the mix — with so many thousands of objects on display, the law of averages says there must be. But three hours’ worth of looking didn’t spot too many. Some of the glasswork looked all right. (Glass is such a gorgeous medium it’s hard to screw it up, and you need some basic training even to begin to work in it.)

Artomatic 2004: Hanging Is Too Good for It by Blake Gopnik

November 10, 2004

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2004/11/11/artomatic-2004-hanging-is-too-good-for-it/353b4ecd-8d74-475b-9386-63d5acd048db/

Artomatic runs thru April 28^th. 2100 M Street, NW, Washington, DC.

Posted in 21st century glass, american glass, art glass, artists of the washington glass school, bullseye glass, cool glass, fused glass, gay glass, glass art, mark jenkins, twenty first century glass, washington glass school, washington post, Washington School of Glass | Tagged contemporary craft, contemporary glass, michael janis, modern glass art

Michael Janis on Art Clinic Online Saturday, June 25th.

Posted on June 21, 2022 by admin |

On Saturday, June 25th, WGS Co-Director Michael Janis is the guest artist presenting on online talk for the Art Clinic Online @ Glen Echo’s Stone Tower Studio.

sgraffito glass imagery of figure — Michael Janis; “Current State”, 2020. Kilnformed glass, glass powder imagery, 4 panels – each 20” x 30”

The Art Clinic Online (ACO) community aims to create a supportive arts environment in an online setting. The ACO features online presentations where members can ask them questions about their vision and create a forum for the equal exchange of art ideas and art information as well as opportunities.

If you are interested in joining the online presentation, email Mariana for the zoomlink- mkastrin@gmail.com

Posted in 21st century glass, 21st century sculpture, bullseye glass, kiln fused glass, kiln-formed, kiln-formed glass, kilncast, стекло искусство новое, فن الزجاج الجديد, アメリカのガラス芸術, 美国玻璃艺术家 | Tagged art clinic online, glen echo, j jordan bruns

Habatat Galleries Celebrates 50 Years

Posted on September 2, 2021 by admin |

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.

Posted in "michael janis" glass, 21st century glass, american craft, american glass, bullseye glass, cast glass, contemporary art glass, glass, glass art, scraffito, sgraffito technique, Tim Tate, wgs, wgs contemporary, стекло искусство новое, 美国新艺术雕塑 | Tagged habatat galleries

Peppermill Village at Night – The City of Lights!

Posted on November 24, 2019 by admin |

Peppermill Community Center public art by Washington Glass Studio and the Peppermill/Landover community.

Cassi Hayden, the Senior Visual Media Photographer for The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) was at Peppermill Village Community Center covering an event recently and found the artwork (made by Washington Glass Studio) in front to be exceptionally beautiful!

Detail of the internally illuminated glass panels made with the Peppermill community as part of the public artwork.

Cassi took some shots attached high-res files for your use. All photos in this posting by: M-NCPPC/Cassi Hayden

The artwork reflects well in the glass of the new center – and on the community that inspired the creation!

Click HERE to see the public art sculpture in the daytime and how the work came to be!

Posted in 21st century glass, 21st century sculpture, alec simpson, art glass, Art In Public Places, bullseye glass, community entrepreneurial model, contemporary art glass, contemporary sculpture, cool glass, creative glass, erwin timmers, fused glass, fused glass sculpture, glass and steel sculpture, glass art, glass sculpture, kiln-formed glass, m-ncppc, maryland, Prince George's County, Public Art, Tim Tate, twenty first century sculpture, usa, warm glass, washington glass school, Washington School of Glass, wgs projects

Bullseye Glass Company Closes Portland Gallery & Project Space

Posted on February 24, 2019 by admin |

Opening night of 2012 exhibit “Facture: Artists at the Forefront of Painterly Glass” that featured works by WGS artist Michael Janis.

Three years after a toxic air scare resulted in unprecedented legal and civil actions against Bullseye Glass Company, the 45-year-old colored art glass factory is closing its downtown gallery, educational, and projects space in a move to cut costs while maintaining a firm commitment to its worldwide arts community. The sole surviving Pacific Northwest art glass factory plans on closing their flagship arts space as costs related to regulatory, legal, and civil actions exceed $4M.

Financial losses related to State demands and strategically orchestrated negative publicity, paired with the resultant billion-dollar class action lawsuit, cut deep into income that had previously supported Bullseye’s arts program.

“For twenty years our space in [Portland’s] Pearl District showcased remarkable works in kilnformed glass created by artists from around the world who use the glass handmade in our southeast Portland factory,” said Lani McGregor, Bullseye co-owner and director of the exhibition and activities space known as Bullseye Projects.

Bullseye Projects is scheduled to close its doors on June 1st, though some of its activities organizing touring exhibits and doing educational programming will continue as will key staff members who will be transferred to the Bullseye facility in southeast Portland.

Click HERE to jump to BE press release.

Posted in bullseye glass

The Process: WGS Creates Public Art For West Palm Beach Intl Airport

Posted on March 10, 2017 by admin |

2 Agencies + 2 Unique Identities = 1 Integrated Artwork Solution

Detail from public art sculptures by Washington Glass Studio for West Palm Beach International Airport

Details from sculptures by Washington Glass Studio for West Palm Beach International Airport

Palm Beach County‘s Art in Public Places awarded Washington Glass Studio (WGS) the commission to design and fabricate integrated public art sculptures as part of the renovation of an existing facility for the new headquarters for Palm Beach County’s Tourist Development Council (TDC) and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) after a Call for Artists held in 2014. The building – a five story 61,000 square foot facility is located at one the most visible intersections in Palm Beach County, adjacent to the Palm Beach International Airport and can be seen from departing and arriving flights.

Site for public art at West Palm Beach Airport

Sites for public art sculptures outlined in Call for Artists @ Florida’s West Palm Beach Airport

Agency 1 – Tourist Development Council (TDC)

The Tourist Development Council asked that their site-specific sculpture reinforce their brand and help show that Palm Beach is a prime tourism destination in one of the top tourism states in the country. The TDC includes Discover Palm Beach County, the Film and Television Commission and the Sports Commission. The TDC also provides oversight to the Palm Beach County Convention Center and the Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management Department and their Beach Re-nourishment Program.

Agency 2 – Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO)

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has approximately 4,000 dedicated and professional staff that are committed to protecting the public, and enhancing the quality of life in the community while administering agency operations. The project site will house PBSO Admin services include Central Records, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Risk Management and Graphics.

WGS Director Erwin Timmers reviews the sites with representatives from PBSO and TDC in October 2014.

After consulting with the different agencies, WGS began schematic design of the sculpture works and the integration of the work with the architecture of the building. WGS sought to utilize color as a strong identification element that would help define the building’s new entry sequences.

Design concepts for the site are presented and reviewed with the end users.

Preliminary design concepts for the site were reviewed with the end users.

The artwork was reviewed and modified as the project team were consulted and fabrication details were outlined. Structural details of the aluminum framework were integrated into the design. Florida has very high wind design loads that had an impact on the artwork design and working again with structural engineer Holbert Apple Associates ensured that the hurricane loads would pose no problem for the artworks. Additionally, the designs would have to allow for shipping from the Washington, DC area glass studio down to sunny Palm Beach Florida and thus the design incorporated modular aspects to allow for fabrication and shipping.

Design of the artwork included detailed structural engineering analysis.

An additional aspect for the project design was the inclusion and integration of artwork and the building’s architectural re-design. Building signage, lighting, paving, and landscaping aspects were to be part of the artist’s proposal. The original building dates from the 1980’s and offered the ideal blank slate background, and allowed for some experimentation with blocks of color that would tie the art with the architecture.

West Palm Beach building façade color test study.

The building artwork design contract included elements of landscape design, and WGS artists liked creating new places to have glass incorporated. Color-coordinated glass “pebbles” (surface-seeded aggregate) were mixed into the concrete paving surrounding the artwork at the base of each. With great power comes with great responsibility.

Tourism Office concrete paving sample. The glass chips were color coordinated to the artwork.

Paving slip resistance, hurricane wind loads on glass and steel, in-ground lighting values – all were part of the artist’s control and the studio was challenged to grow and develop our knowledge base.

Design: Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO)

The design of the PBSO artwork had to showcase how the Sheriff’s office was an important partner to the community and reflect the values of the department. Aspects of the Sheriff would be presented in bas-relief cast glass panels mounted in sturdy structural aluminum framework. The colors of the PBSO were to form the basis of the sculpted glass artwork. The greens and golds would include a stripe of blue glass that would represent the “thin blue line” that symbolizes the relationship of law enforcement in the community.

Sheriff department concept sketch.

The location of the sculpture was important – the artwork would help define the entry to the new Sheriff’s office, and the artwork would also help shield views down along the building that are more private outdoor spaces.

Detail of one of the cast glass panels for the PBSO artwork. The clasped hands represent helping community.

The finished work has some incredibly detailed cast panels that are works of art in and by themselves.

View of the new Sheriff Office artwork – titled “Guardian” by WGS.

Design: Tourist Development Council (TDC)

DPB-TOURISM-RGB

Palm Beach’s Tourist Development Council (TDC) has oversight responsibility for the marketing agencies which include Discover The Palm Beaches, the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, the Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission along with the Palm Beach County Convention Center. A number of proposals were presented to the TDC and the selected version was for an illuminated 17′-0″ tower – ultimately to be located on a new plaza area at the building entry. The color palatte of the “Discover the Palm Beaches” campaign would be the basis of the artwork color direction. The glass design direction taken by the artist team was to abstract elements from each of the agencies that make up the TDC.

The TDC artwork, titled “Guidepost” is situated on a new plaza created at the building entry.

The structural requirements for the artwork framework (to be made in aluminum) required a substantial cross section for the members. The strong wind loads in coastal Florida required a close supervision of the metal design and fabrication.

Artist Michael Janis begins creation of the colorful glass inset panels.

Erwin Timmers works on the TDC art while Patricia and Audrey supervise.

Dave Dolan of Palm Beach County is part of the review process of the structural metal at the shop.

The glass artwork integrated into the metal structure began in the summer of 2016. Each glass inset was coated with a special coating to protect the structure in hurricane force winds. The installation of the artwork began in late 2016 and was completed in early 2017, giving the WGS crew some time in the beautiful Florida sunshine.

Audrey Wilson and Erwin Timmers install the public art in Palm Beach, FL.

TDC artwork reflects beautifully in the building in sunny Florida.

The artwork “Guidepost” is beautifully reflected in the building that houses Florida’s TDC.

Project Information

Address: 2195 Southern Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33406

Artist: Washington Glass Studio

Design Team: Laurie Brown, Michael Janis, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Audrey Wilson. With Patricia de Poel Wilberg and Ricky Barton.

Structural Engineer : Holbert Apple Assoc Inc

Posted in architectural application glass, art glass, Art In Public Places, art palm beach, building exterior, built environment, bullseye glass, commissioned glass sculpture, contemporary sculpture, fused glass sculpture, glass and steel sculpture, process, Public Art, west palm beach airport

Bullseye Glass Resumes Cadmium Use With New Filters: Red, Orange and Yellow Glass Production Returns

Posted on April 13, 2016 by admin |

Bullseye Glass President Dan Schwoerer shows KOIN 6 News colorful glass made in his factory, Mar. 10, 2016

The embattled Southeast Portland glass company – Bullseye Glass (BE) – has installed a new filtration system to prevent dangerous metals from getting into the air. In February, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality found the area around the facility, had high levels of toxic chemicals cadmium and arsenic. The glass company voluntarily stopped using the metals in its manufacturing process. Later it said it would never again use arsenic. It also suspended the use of chromium.
The company has issued a press release on how the baghouse filter works. Air from the furnace passes up the stack, which filters out “99 percent of the particulate material” made using heavy metals during the production of glass.

Bullseye Glass President Dan Schwoerer next to the new filters at the glass furnace in Portland, OR.

The Washington Glass School has been asked how the issues affecting BE have impacted the art school and studio and the surrounding neighborhood. Director Erwin Timmers has confirmed that the toxicity issues are a problem for factories producing the glass, not the artists or their surrounding neighborhoods. Once the glass is made, all of the metals used during production to produce color become inert and therefore are safe to use in glass schools & studios.

That said, it is good to know that red, orange and yellow glass can again be part of the glass color range available to students!

Posted in bullseye glass | Tagged arsenic, cadmium, dangerous metals, fused glass, toxic chemicals

Bullseye Glass Needs Some Help

Posted on March 26, 2016 by admin |

There has been a lot of charges flying in Portland, Oregon following concerns by state regulators over alarming concentrations of dangerous substances – carcinogenic metals cadmium and arsenic- in the air around the Southeast Portland Bullseye Glass (BE) manufacturing facility and whether Bullseye Glass understands the public interest and if they support stronger environmental standards for the industry.

BE has posted a letter outlining how the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing a set of sweeping “temporary” regulations that will severely curtail BE’s glass production, which BE feels is without clear supporting scientific evidence or an understanding of how they make colored glass.

The primary issue is the use of trivalent chromium—also referred to as Cr(III). Both DEQ and EPA have acknowledged there is no clear evidence of acute or chronic health risks based on BE’s use of Cr(III). The limitations proposed are based on politics and anchored in speculation that Cr(III) might possibly change into a more toxic form of chromium—Cr(VI) in our furnaces.

Scientific evidence clearly indicates the furnaces won’t turn Cr(III) into Cr(VI). If they did, the BE glass would be ruined. According to BE, Cr(III) is essential to BE producing colored glass.

According to BE: “Scientific evidence shows our use of the compound is not harmful. Nevertheless, DEQ wants to restrict Bullseye from using Cr(III) for an extended period of time. They are essentially basing these rules on an assumption of guilt without any proper supporting scientific or factual evidence.

These newly proposed regulations are based on politics and fear, not science and fact. They come right after DEQ’s executive director was forced to resign and the supervisor of the air quality department left the agency.

If we are not allowed to use Cr (III), we can no longer make green glass. On top of our voluntary suspension of cadmium glass production until our baghouse is in place, this new limitation would eliminate 50% of our product line. It would result in employee layoffs, huge economic impacts to Bullseye and our worldwide customers, and could even drive us out of business.

Until March 30, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality wants to know your opinion on whether or not to adopt temporary rules that are targeted to affect only one specific industry – the colored art glass industry.They could set a precedent that could affect every other colored glass manufacturer in the United States.

Again, DEQ is accepting public comment regarding the temporary rules until March 30 at 5:00 pm (PDT). To read the draft rules and submit comments, visit http://1.usa.gov/1LtqPaY“

Bullseye asks for messages of support be sent: “Please let DEQ and the Environmental Quality Commission know whether you agree with the points, and let them know how you would be affected by the temporary or permanent loss of Bullseye’s products.”

Click HERE to jump to Bullseye Glass’ message.

Posted in BE, bullseye, bullseye glass

Bullseye Glass: List of Suspended Glass Colors

Posted on March 10, 2016 by admin |

Bullseye Glass has been at the center of controversy about Portland, OR air pollution ever since early February, when Oregon regulators asked the company to stop using the carcinogenic metals cadmium and arsenic. The request was prompted by tests showing high concentrations of the pollutant in nearby air.

Bullseye Glass and Uroboros glass have agreed to stop using cadmium and arsenic in their manufacturing, along with a third and more toxic metal, chromium. A list of Bullseye Glass colors affected by the manufacturing change was obtained by Washington Glass School – as follows:

Bullseye Glass colors and code

Posted in bullseye glass | Tagged ceased production, halted glass color, suspended colors, what BE colors affected by DEQ

Bullseye Glass Has Suspended Use of Arsenic and Cadmium Because of Air Quality Concerns

Posted on February 5, 2016 by admin |

By Daniel Forbes from the Portland Mercury (dated Feb 4th, 2016):

Bullseye Glass is suspending its use of cadmium and arsenic for now, following concerns by state regulators over alarming concentrations of those substances in the air around the Southeast Portland facility. Co-owner Daniel Schwoerer emailed a short statement to the Mercury this morning:

“As of yesterday we have suspended the production of all cadmium and arsenic-bearing glasses until we better understand the information that you have brought forward.”

In a brief phone interview, Schwoerer reiterated something he said Monday: “I’m totally surprised by DEQ’s findings. We have worked with DEQ for 40 years and were never once told there were state benchmarks to meet. It’s all a major surprise.”

He declined to answer whether he still had faith in the air pollution control device commonly known as a “baghouse” that DEQ requires Bullseye Glass to deploy.

Asked in general about the by-products of making glass using cadmium and arsenic, Schwoerer said, “There shouldn’t be any by-products. The solution goes all into the glass. We’re not knowingly doing anything wrong.”

Schwoerer then ended the interview, saying that he had a room full of Bullseye employees waiting to hear from him. That he had to do “damage control.”

Update: Bullseye released the following statement on Facebook.

Screen_Shot_2016-02-04_at_11.29.17_AM.png

Posted in bullseye glass