As the Washington Glass School celebrates its 25th Anniversary, the stories that emerge are not only about artwork—they are about community, mentorship, experimentation, and finding creative refuge. For resident artist Kate Barfield, the School became exactly that: a place of encouragement, camaraderie, and artistic growth during a moment when the world felt uncertain.
A Washington, D.C.-area studio glass artist and former federal attorney for NOAA, Kate Barfield creates kiln-formed, cast, and fused glass works that balance humor, storytelling, environmental awareness, and political commentary. Her vividly colored compositions invite viewers into layered narratives filled with wit, beauty, and surprise.
Because she lived nearby in Mt. Rainier, Kate first encountered the Washington Glass School through occasional classes. But in 2020, during the isolation of the pandemic, the School became something far more meaningful.
“When Covid hit in 2020, I took refuge at the School, to work on glass and to be with a great, close-knit community of artists,” Kate recalls. “The Glass School was a welcome oasis of camaraderie, creativity and encouragement.”
That connection eventually led her to become a Resident Artist, working more intensively in fused and cast glass techniques. Although she had prior experience in traditional stained glass, Washington Glass School opened the door to entirely new approaches to the medium.
“Glass—like no other medium—is unique in its color, light and depth.”
One of Kate’s earliest moments at the School remains especially memorable. After pulling a whimsical multi-armed cat sculpture from the kiln, she was met with enthusiastic encouragement from Tim Tate.
“Tim Tate yelped with excitement,” she says. “He held the glass in the air and told me to keep up the good work.”
That encouragement became foundational as Kate continued to develop her artistic voice. She credits not only Tim Tate, but also Michael Janis and Erwin Timmers, for helping guide her practice through technical advice, humor, and patience.
“Michael has shown great patience and offered advice from his long experience with glass,” she says. “And more than once, Erwin has been the source of a quick joke as he puzzles with me over glass equipment repairs.”
Today, Kate’s work spans playful, political, and deeply environmental themes. Her pieces are united by a love of storytelling and fearless color. A rebellious pug gleams against fields of gold and scarlet. A blue heron triumphantly displays a fish while surrounded by crabs, turtles, foxes, and red-winged blackbirds. Another piece presents a monster stirring a pot beneath the dissolving colors of a flag.
“All of these pieces welcome the viewer into a story—with a shot of color to delight the eye.”
Her artistic growth accelerated during preparations for the 2024 Artomatic exhibition, when Tim Tate encouraged artists at the School to create ambitious new work for public presentation. Inspired by an obscure Japanese female artist associated with images of the “Floating World,” Kate designed a sky-blue kimono-shaped triptych addressing climate change and global warming.
The work balanced beauty with unease, drawing viewers close before revealing harsher realities embedded within the imagery, and the response was overwhelming.
“Two major glass artists emailed me to say they hung a photo of this kimono in their workspace—for inspiration,” Kate says. “For a fledgling artist, this is a big WOW!”
In the studio, Kate embraces both experimentation and unpredictability. Her favorite tool is surprisingly modest: a tabletop glass saw.
“I use it to make impossible shapes and fanciful images.”
She also embraces the unpredictable nature of kiln-formed glass, echoing advice often shared by Michael Janis.
“Glass has its own mind,” she says. “You do your best in composing a piece—then wait to see what happens in the kiln.”
Unexpected breaks or accidents are not failures, but opportunities.
“Often the unexpected creates a stronger image than the idea that you labored over.”
That openness to collaboration and feedback is central to her experience at Washington Glass School. Working alongside fellow artists allows for immediate conversation, shared technical knowledge, and collective problem-solving that would be difficult to replicate in solitude.
“If I were working alone, I would lose this valuable resource.”
As Washington Glass School reaches its 25th year, Kate believes the School’s greatest strength lies in its balance between national reach and neighborhood intimacy.
“The Glass School is large enough that it attracts talent from around the country, but small enough that it has a neighborhood, hometown feel.”
For her, the spirit of the School is reflected as much in shared celebrations and impromptu gatherings as in the kilns and classrooms.
“The School’s spirit is captured—in part—with the many parties that we enjoy—celebrating birthdays, milestones, congratulations—reminding us how much we appreciate one another. The tasty margaritas and champagne are also welcome.”
Looking ahead, Kate hopes to continue learning, experimenting, and pushing her work into new territory. She sees glass itself as an endlessly evolving field filled with astonishing diversity and invention.
And what should Washington Glass School be known for 25 years from now?
Kate answers without hesitation:
“The Glass School is a beacon of creativity—both a home and a welcome respite for artists passing through.”
Then she adds a perfect final image:
“Where else but the Glass School can you come in—on an ordinary day—and watch an Italian Glass master craft the tiniest purple elephant in the world? That’s the Glass School!”
As Washington Glass School marks its 25th Anniversary, the celebration continues this fall with a major exhibition featuring works by Washington Glass School artists at the Brentwood Arts Exchange in Brentwood, MD. Running from September 10 through October 31, 2026, the exhibition will showcase the extraordinary diversity, innovation, and storytelling that have defined the School for a quarter century — offering audiences a chance to experience some truly remarkable contemporary glass art.
