“Reflections in Glass”, Solo show by Erwin Timmers at Allegany Arts Gallery

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. “

recycled glass

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

Erwin Timmers Solo Exhibit Opens Feb 5th, 2022

Reception : Saturday, February 5, 2022, from 6:00PM-8:00PM; 9 N Centre St, Cumberland, MD 21502

Maryland’s Allegany Arts Council and its Saville Gallery feature WGS Co-Director and eco-artist Erwin Timmers for his solo exhibition, Reflections in Glass, to take place February 5-26, 2022. A Public Opening will take place on Saturday, February 5, 2022, from 6:00PM-8:00PM

Reflections in Glass features the environmental themed glass artwork of Erwin Timmers, Co-founder and director of the Washington Glass School and one of the DC area’s leading eco-artists. Recycling, waste, and the environment are recurring themes in his work.

Saville Gallery; 9 N Centre St, Cumberland, MD 21502

Erwin Timmers Artwork at The Artisan 4100

The-Artisan-4100.brentwood.maryland.md.rhode_island.route.1Artisan 4100 is an apartment community opening along Route 1 in Brentwood, MD early in 2020. Landex Development – a family-owned real estate development company – commissioned Erwin Timmers to create a glass and light installation for the new lobby.

Erwin Timmers – know for his environmental art – has been using cast recycled glass to create the luminous panels.

Erwin Timmers onsite testing the LED light output of his glass sculpture.

Erwin Timmers onsite testing the LED light output of his glass sculpture.

Artist Erwin Timmers mounts the cast glass panels into steel framework with LED backlighting. More about his amazing artwork after installation in the coming weeks!

Artist Erwin Timmers mounts the cast glass panels into steel framework with LED backlighting. More about his amazing artwork after installation in the coming weeks!

Studio Gallery Exhibit Curated by Molly Ruppert Asks “Can Art Help Save the Planet?”

ReClaimed・ReUsed・RePurposed – – Sustainable Art for the Planet

Erwin Timmers; "Sitemap"; cast recycled glass, recycled steel, LED lighting, recycled wood

Erwin Timmers; “Sitemap”; cast recycled glass, recycled steel, LED lighting, recycled wood

Featuring artwork by Jessica Beels – Robin Bell – Julia Bloom – Gloria Chapa – Pat Goslee – Liz Lescault – Erwin Timmers

ReClaimed ReUsed RePurposed, curated by Molly Ruppert, is the first in a short series of exhibitions focused on the climate crisis facing our world. This show explores the role and work of artists who respect the planet by their use of materials.

The participating artists share a belief in the importance of protecting the planet by respecting the natural world and finding ways to reuse its byproducts by looking at the artistic potential of waste produced of manufacturing, and by reusing the bits and pieces left by the inevitable breakdown of everyday objects. 

First Friday Reception: January 3, 6 – 8 pm

Studio Gallery
2108 R St NW
Washington D.C. 20008

Erwin Timmers New Sculpture Made from Cast Recycled Glass

Eco-artist Erwin Timmers newest sculpture made from cast recycled glass will be showcased at the Gateway Arts District’s Open Studio Tour (OST) – Saturday May 14, 2016 from Noon-5pm.

Erwin has been casting with recycled float (window) glass to create forms from and about discarded water bottles – and assembling the cast glass atop a salvaged mirror that has been backed with LED lighting. Its amazing how he can find harmony, balance and poetry in things discarded and never thought of again.

Erwin Timmers, cast recycled glass, salvaged  mirror, steel, LED, 2016

Erwin Timmers, cast recycled glass, salvaged mirror, steel, LED, 2016

Washington Glass Studio Projects

Most of you know about the Washington Glass School’s extensive glass classes and the artwork, but many of you don’t know the third component of the Washington Glass Studio.  The Washington Glass Studio was established in 2001 to deliver artwork to the public realm by creating site specific art for architectural and landscape environments. Here is a highlight of a few recent projects to give a scope of what we are capable of producing.

"Gateway To Community"   Glass and steel arch for Washington, DC Ward 7. Under Construction

“Gateway To Community” Glass and steel arch for Washington, DC Ward 7. Under Construction

We are currently finishing a commissioned public art sculpture in Washington, DC’s Ward 7 in front of the Unity Parkside Health Clinic and across the street from Caesar Chavez High School. This sculpture will be one of the first public art projects in Ward 7. Consisting of a 16 foot high tri-sided glass covered arch, the entire concept was derived from meeting with the community in the Kenilworth neighborhood.

The residents of the community participated in the creation of the glass elements for the public artwork sculpture.

The residents of the community participated in the creation of the glass elements for the public artwork sculpture.

Made up from steel tube sections the steel framework is clad in covered in colorful kilncast glass panels bolted to the structure. Over 300 tiles were required to complete the structure. These 300 tiles we all hand made by volunteers in the community surrounding the arch. The artwork will be internally illuminated with LED lighting throughout the sculpture. Installation is set for end of May/early June.

The Architect of the Capitol provides design direction for the historic Library of Congress Adams Building.

The Architect of the Capitol provides design direction for the historic Library of Congress Adams Building.

Of our recent public art works, the most acclaimed is our cast glass doors for the Library of Congress’ Adams Building. The original doors were cast bronze from the early WPA days. They were designed by Lee Lawrie, who is most known for his designs at Rockefeller Center in NYC. The original bronze bas-relief doors had ceased to be functional years ago, and the entrances were not up to current safety and security code. In a moment of courage and insight, one of the architects of the Architect Of The Capital’s office realized that if the bronze doors were redesigned with glass replicas of the original bronze bas-relief, then he could bring them up to code and increase safety, for much less money.  We then took on this multi-year project, with spectacular results.

LOC.photo.1 good.finished

There were 6 sets of these doors, facing the east and west sides of the Adams Building. American Craft Magazine did a feature story on our work for the Library of Congress and its process – click here to jump to the magazine’s article online.

A smaller scale work was created for the charity organization “Food and Friends” new outdoor park. We made a cast glass Donor Wall that was to honor those who have passed away, to support to charitable work of the organization and to encourage donors to participate. Bas-relief cast glass panels in complementary colors set into a steel framework allows light to pass thru the memorial wall and create colors and patterns on the surrounding plaza. The nature of the glass panels encourages tactile investigation and contemplative interaction.

Food and Friends organization commissioned an outdoor donor wall for their park alongside their Riggs Road facility.

Food and Friends organization commissioned an outdoor donor wall for their park alongside the charity’s Washington, DC facility.

Lastly, one of our most distinguished works was for the Safeway supermarket Bethesda, Maryland. The original store was to be demolished to make way for a much larger structure with parking on the ground floor. As the grocer was committed to Green building, the new structure was to be the first LEED certified grocery store in Montgomery County, and we integrated eco-friendly materials, using recycled glass from the demolished store and re-purposing them to make the new glass and steel ground level building façade. The ground floor building skin was designed to conceal the parking garage function without completely enclosing it.  Here is the result:

Glass recycled from the original site's building was incorporated into Safeway supermarket's first LEED certified building in Montgomery County, MD.

Glass recycled from the original site’s building was incorporated into Safeway supermarket’s first LEED certified building in Montgomery County, MD.

This is only a fraction of what we have competed and what we are capable of doing. No job is too large or too complex. Our architectural design and technical team work well with architects and designers. We are currently looking for additional projects, so let us know in case you know of any, or know someone who might!

Art and Architecture: Public Art Project

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Safeway Bethesda
Rounds VanDuzer Architects

Safeway has started construction of a new supermarket in Bethesda, MD. The new store will be a LEED certified supermarket as Safeway is committed to the greening of its stores. Besides going green, the supermarket will be built to what Safeway calls the urban “lifestyle” market, with high-quality urban design. Safeway is one of North America’s largest supermarket chains with more than 1,700 stores.

As part of the project, Safeway commissioned the Washington Glass Studio to integrate artwork into the architectural façade of the building. The wall of artwork will activate the street along the Bradley Street façade, and marks the first public artwork commission by the national supermarket chain for its stores.



The cast recycled glass and steel artwork is integrated into the architectural façade.


Over 30 feet long and 9 feet high, the glass and steel artwork will be a strong element located in Bethesda. The new building design will act as a “civic gateway” to Bethesda‘s Central Business District (CBD).

Responding to the architectural design by Rounds VanDuzer Architects the large scale artwork will feature colorful cast recycled glass made from glass salvaged from the original Safeway supermarket on the same site. Ecoartist Erwin Timmers had slogged thru the site demolition, removing glass for the artwork. Erwin’s integration of reconfigured and recycled components has made him a leader in sustainable design and he continues his work in multidisciplinary LEED projects.


Cast recycled window glass sample of custom “fresh herb” design for Safeway.

Above is the “bay leaf” pattern.


UPDATE: Click HERE to jump to images of finished project.


Timmers in Texas

>Our Guru of GreenErwin Timmers – will be spreading the word of eco-art to the great free State of Texas. Erwin will be teaching a Recycled Glass workshop at Hot Glass Houston.

Erwin’s class will be in Mid-October and the class will cram as many techniques and ways of kilncasting recycled glass as possible!

Don’t Mess With Texas.

For those of you who aren’t in the Lone Star State – you can take the class here at the Washington Glass School – click HERE to jump to the class description.