The renown craft education center – Penland School of Crafts – located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, will have Sean Hennessey teaching his mixed media cast glass technique. Penland’s 2016 Spring one week session (April 24-30, 2016) looks to be a winner! Sean’s artwork often combines cast glass, concrete, photography, drawing, light, vdeo, found objects and steel. He holds a BA in Sculpture and a Minor in Philosophy from Berea College and also studied at the Institute for International Studies in Florence, Italy.
He has also exhibited at SOFA Chicago, John Hopkins University and was a featured artist at the National Institute of Health Gallery, as well as many select group exhibitions. Click HERE to jump to Penland’s online listing of the Spring 2016 classes.
Category Archives: “dry plaster casting” “washington glass school”
DC’s SEED Charter School: Come to Washington Glass School & Learn About Sins
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The SEED School of Washington, DC
The SEED school of Washington DC is a public charter boarding school whose mission is “to provide an outstanding intensive educational program that prepares children … for success in college.” This past week, students from the school came to the Washington Glass School for a one-day hands-on class that mixed art, history, chemistry, mathematics and physics.
The students worked at creating bas-relief cast glass artwork that related to “The Seven Deadly Sins” – which, here at the Washington Glass School, is one subject we know all about. The dry plaster casting – that is. Tim Tate and Marc Petrovic did do a collaborative mixed media glass sculpture on the Seven Deadly Sins, and, as we all know, Tim is the devil – so who better to seek advice?
Not quite sure where a mermaid fits into the 7 Deadly Sins…perhaps its not a mermaid but a Siren (Lust)? or is it “check out my awesome tail” (Pride)?
Erwin Timmers points out the obvious.
The class had a great time creating imagery in plaster that glass would be formed into as bas-relief.
The SEED school arts instructor, Kamala Subramanian said later: “It is not easy to maintain the attention, much less excite teenager students today, where the most exciting things, to me, appear boring to them. You all have earned an A+ in my book of field trips and art experiences!“
So there! The Washington Glass School got its first A+!
Glass Sparks: Sean Hennessey
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We Share What We Have
Glass, Concrete, Steel
24″x13″
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Ghost Light Glass, Concrete, Steel 43″x13″ Sean uses the Dry Plaster Relief Casting technique in his work. He sets up boxes inside the kiln, fills the box with sifted plaster power, makes impressions in the plaster, places sheets of float glass on top of the box and fires the glass to slump into the mold.
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It’s a dusty process |
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Example of a Mold used for Dry Plaster Relief Casting Once the glass is removed from the kiln, Sean uses special primers and polymers to add a coating of cement to the surface. |
Glass castings fresh out of the kiln.
Finding Your Power
Glass, Concrete, Steel 42″x13″
Sean will be one of the artists exhibiting at DC’s Longview Gallery juried invitational exhibition showcasing the people and work of the artists of the Washington Glass School. The show opens in May.
Washington Glass School: The First 10 Years
1234 9th Street, NW, Washington, DC
May 19 – June 19, Opening Reception, May 19th, 6:30-8:30 PM
Click HERE to jump to Sean’s artwork website.
For other glass artist profiles: