Category Archives: LOC

National Guard At Post For President-Elect Biden Inauguration

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National Guard Soldiers stand guard at the John Adams Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have traveled to the National Capital Region to provide support leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration. (photo: Tech. Sgt. Lucretia Cunningham)

National Guard Soldiers stand guard at the John Adams Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have traveled to the National Capital Region to provide support leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration. (photo: Tech. Sgt. Lucretia Cunningham)

15,000 National Guard troops are now in DC for the scheduled Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. But with so many troops in a city that has become a maze of black fencing, cement barriers and dozens of checkpoints, there is an eerie calm in Washington DC, ahead of a feared storm of supporters of President Donald Trump, who don’t believe their candidate lost and are willing to continue the violence.

Photos of the Guard protecting the Library of Congress Adams Building shows the soldiers in front of the cast glass panels made by Washington Glass Studio with Portland’s Fireart Studio. Click Here to jump to the 2012 American Craft interview and photos of the cast glass made and the process to make the architectural artwork.

We are happy that  the military is taking no chances with who was coming to protect the inauguration.

On a normal day, it takes about an hour to walk the 2.5 miles down Pennsylvania Avenue to Capitol Hill.

But these are no normal days. 

These precautions come a week after a mob of supporters of Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to overturn the results of the presidential election. 

Posted in adams building, american craft magazine, american glass, architect of the capitol, architectural application glass, fireart glass, kiln-formed glass, kilncast float glass, lee lawrie, library of congress, LOC, patriotic glass, portland, ray ahlgren, united states, washington DC

American Craft Magazine Features Washington Glass School

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American Craft magazine June/July 2013

The American Craft Council(ACC) is a national, nonprofit educational organization founded with a mission to promote understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft. Their programs include the bimonthly magazine, American Craft, annual juried shows, various workshops, seminars and conferences, and more.

The June/July 2013 issue of American Craft Magazine showcases the cast glass work being made for the U.S. Library of Congress Adams Building. Julie K. Hanus – American Craft’s senior editor and Perry A. Price  –  the ACC’s director of education had come to the school in April and made a report on the process and the artists involved. 

From the magazine: The original doors were designed in 1939 by Lee Lawrie, the sculptor whose Atlas graces Rockefeller Center. They’re massive bronze works, depicting 13 mythological and historical figures of language and learning. Over time, they had begun to fail, straining at the hinges, and didn’t meet modern building codes. Rather than altering the historic doors to address these issues, the Architect of the Capitol made a bold decision; in addition to conserving the Lawrie doors, they would reinterpret these unique Adams Building features in glass.

Jeff Wallin and Ray Ahlgren of Fireart Glass in Portland, OR casting the glass panels. Photo by Charlie Lieberman

Review of each of the LOC cast glass panels with the Architect of the Capitol. L-R Paul Zimmerman/HITT Contracting, William Warmus/Art critic, Tim Tate, Michael Janis, Kevin Hildebrand/AOC, Erwin Timmers.

The doors began installation in the spring of 2013 and the entry areas began to transform.

From the interior of East facing building lobby.
The exterior of the first set of six pairs of doors.

The magazine will be on the stands soon – and is online right now! – Click HERE to jump to the American Craft Council website.

Washington Glass Studio team L-R Tim Tate, Sean Hennessey, Michael Janis, Audrey Wilson, Erwin Timmers

Posted in AOC, architect of the capitol, architectural application glass, erwin timmers, jeff wallin, kiln fused glass, library of congress, LOC, michael janis, ray ahlgren, sean hennessey, Tim Tate

Architect of the Capitol Blogs On New Cast Glass Doors

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The AOC inspects the cast glass interpretation of the ‘Cadmus‘ sculpture maded from the original bronze doors of the Library of Congress.

Cadmus was credited by the ancient Greeks with introducing the original Alphabet or Phoenician alphabet.

The US Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is responsible to the United States Congress and the Supreme Court for the maintenance, operation, development and preservation of 17.4 million square feet of buildings and more than 460 acres of land throughout Capitol Hill. The AOC also provides professional expertise on the preservation of architectural and artistic elements entrusted to its care, and provides recommendations concerning design, construction and maintenance of the facilities and grounds.
The AOC blogs about the new cast glass doors for the Library of Congress, now being installed. 

The original doors, designed by noted American artist, Lee Lawrie in 1938, feature high-relief sculptures of (mythical and real) world figures that have contributed to the written word and communication.

Click HERE to jump to the US AOC blog post.

Posted in AOC, architect of the capitol, architectural application glass, cast glass, library of congress, LOC, ray ahlgren

Library Of Congress Cast Glass Doors Update

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The Washington Glass Studio created shop drawings for each cast glass panel based on the original sculpture forms from the US Library of Congress Adams Building.
Sean Hennessey and Marie Schneggenburger

The Library of Congress had earlier this year commissioned sculptured glass doors as the famed institution provides much needed upgrades to the entry of the historic building. As mentioned in earlier postings, the Washington Glass Studio has been creating the artwork panels, collaborating with artists and artisans across the United States, from theatrical set designers to pioneers of the American Studio Glass Movement to make artwork worthy of an icon of the United States.

Washington Glass Studio’s Sean Hennessey works with Marie Schneggenburger and Erin Cumbo to take molds from the original bronze doors. After protection to all adjacent surfaces was in place, each the door bronze sculptures were cleaned and prepped for the mold taking process.

Marie Schneggenburger cleans and masks off the original bronze door sculptures.

The original moldings were sprayed with the silicone rubber matrix. The process took place in the summer of 2012, when the East Coast of the US experienced record high temperatures, and some modifications to the silicone process took place, with a step where we brushed on the material to ensure capture of the intricate detail from the originals. The crew started early each morning, to try and minimize their time in the sweltered sun.

The doors are ready for the mold matrix.
Sean Hennessey applies the silicone rubber with what looks like a prop from the movie “Ghostbusters”.

For a short flickr video of the mold-taking process at the Library of Congress doors – click on the arrow below:


After the molds and their “mother mold” material are removed from the doors, they are brought back to the studio for evaluation.

Tahmurath – the Persian hero – had some of the most complex undercuts that required additional molds of the deepest sections.
Detail from Tahmurath bronze sculpture.

The next step of the glass casting process involves one of the early fused glass pioneers – Ray Ahlgren. Ray Ahlgren’s Fireart Glass Studio in Portland, Oregon developed specialized techniques for the final firing of the cast and laminated panels.

Ray Ahlgren

Ray Ahlgren has been working with glass for over 40 years. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Ceramics from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s Degree in Fine Art in glass at the Art Institute of Chicago. Prior to starting Fireart Glass in 1980 he co-founded Bullseye Glass Company. In the early 1970’s the early Bullseye Glass Company made glasses for the stained glass trade. Founders Dan Schwoerer, Ray Ahlgren and Boyce Lundstrom worked on the problems that arose when melting this type of glass together in a kiln.

Ray Ahlgren and Dan Schwoerer in 1973.

That’s when they discovered incompatibility. To be successful, they then had to figure out how to test for it and get rid of it. The product they eventually developed was a glass that would be compatible with other glasses and withstand multiple firings without cracking during the cooling process. Kilnformed glass moved forward and developed glass into a leading sculpture medium. We were fortunate to be able to include Ray’s expertise and insight into the technical aspects, as well as his meticulous craftsmanship.

Using the silicone rubber molds, Ray made wax figures that were set as per the original mold, correcting any imperfections.

Tahmurath wax original is set up and dam for plaster is built around.

Plaster is then poured around the wax sculptures, and carefully brushed into voids to eliminate air pockets.

Ray Ahlgren details the plaster across the wax as Erwin Timmers looks on.
Ray fills the dam and levels the casting block.

After the plaster sets, the wax is removed from the casting mold, creating the void where the glass blanks will be melted into.

Inside the kilns, glass was fired into the plaster molds.
Cast glass panel of “Ogma“.

In November 2012, Erwin Timmers brought the Architect of the Capitol’s Library of Congress team to Fireart Glass studio to see the progress of the castings.

Ray Ahlgren removes a cast glass panel from the kiln.

Ray removes the plaster and explains process to LOC’s Yvonne Gurney.
One of the cast glass panels has the plaster rinsed off for review.
WGS’ Erwin Timmers points out details to Yvonne.
The completed panels were inspected as part of the LOC review.

The Library of Congress project continues on, with site work proceeding through the winter months. Parts of the refurbishment are not cosmetic, including installation of new electronics and security into the historic building. The install of the glass panels will happen in early 2013, and we will post new photos of that process, as well as some great process shots taken at Fireart Glass Studios.

Posted in adams building, architect of the capitol, architectural application glass, erwin timmers, glass architecture., library of congress, LOC, Marie Schneggenburger, ray ahlgren, sean hennessey

2012 Year In Review

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Before we throw away the 2012 calender, we are looking thru the pages of the Washington Glass School dates and blog postings – noting that events from a few months ago seem like ages ago. The strange phenomena of time flying by is observed once again. Many of the years past events were months – or years- in planning and preparation, and seemed like they would never happen, now seem faraway, and the impact, both good and bad will be here for a while. Month by month – here is a quick review of Washington Glass School’s 2012:
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January 2012

“Facture” exhibit at Bullseye Gallery, Portland.

Michael Janis started the year out west, showing at Bullseye Gallery in Portland, OR.  The show “Facture“ was centered on artists that use glass as a canvas with artists Michael Janis, Kari Minnick, Martha Pfanschmidt, Ted Sawyer, Abi Spring, and Jeff Wallin; moderated by Michael Endo. The show ran thru February, and later traveled to Bullseye’s RCBA Gallery
in Emeryville, CA. 
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February

Rob Kincheloe gets close to the critter.

Italian flameworker Simone Crestani was here teaching workshops at the new Chrysler Museum of Art Glass Workshop. While here in the area, Simone was working at Rob Kincheloe’s new torch studio out in Virginia.

After annealing, the bug was filled with plasma and charged.
The installed sculpture at Smith Farm

The “Science of Art Laboratory” (SOFALab) project was created to initiate the spark of communication that can bring out new understanding and develop new tools of interactions from both the sciences and arts. Developed as a collaborative effort from the Executive Director of Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, Shanti Norris; the Director of Printmaking at George Mason University, Helen Fredrick; and the Founder of Hamiltonian Artists and physics professor of George Mason University, Paul So, a SOFAlab project was held with Dr. Caroline Wellberry and Erwin Timmers using glass diverted from the waste stream. 

The students were from Georgetown University and Residents from the Fort Lincoln Clinic. The resulting glass and steel sculpture was exhibited at Smith Center Gallery.

Michael & Christina Bothwell: TLF.

February is also the month of Love – with American Craft Magazine included Michael Janis in its survey on who was “Craft Crushing”. Michael was all about sculptor Christina Bothwell.

The Washington British Embassy hosted the signing of the US/UK Friendship Agreement. L-R Chief Executive of Sunderland City Council Dr David Smith and Washington, DC Mayor Vincent C. Gray

The cities of Washington, DC and Sunderland, England renewed their Friendship Agreement in February, and the formal connection between the two cities were strengthened. The unique connection has allowed for international exchanges that played out in the year and beyond.
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March

Professors Tate and Janis at UK’s Washington Old Hall, ancestral home of US President George Washington.
Sunderland Uni has a world class glass facility.

Fulbright Scholars Michael Janis and Tim Tate were off to England’s North East, teaching at the University of Sunderland.  Joined by Michael’s wife, Kay Janis, acting as chaperone for the lads, the boys were teaching at the National Glass Centre in the expansive glass facilities at the University.

DC’s Fulbright duo teach at Creative Cohesion.

Creative Cohesion, a Sunderland, England artist collaborative was initiated by artists that had participated in one of DC’s Artomatic events. Inspired by and modeling themselves on the Washington Glass School model, the City of Sunderland helped create a non-profit organization which specializes in arts based activities, and provides space, facilities and services to local creative practitioners and the local community. Creative Cohesion’s facilities include a glass hot-shop, which was set to open, and Michael and Tim were invited to teach at the inaugural glass workshops. The gallery component of Creative Cohesion was one of the exhibitors at London’s Affordable Art Fair in March. Michael and Tim were invited to show their artwork at the huge international art fair, and the lads were off to the big city. 

The artists celebrate at London’s Affordable Art Fair.
Jeffrey Sarmiento, Kevin Petrie and Michael Janis

Back to the University of Sunderland, for a big wrap up of more workshops. Professor and glass artist Jeffrey Sarmiento – showed Michael how the University’s waterjet machine worked with glass panels, creating a class demo piece. 

Hugs to all as the Fulbrighters returned home to Washington, DC, determined to reinforce the connections made. Right after the boys left Sunderland, Creative Cohesion’s artist facility was damaged as the adjacent building partially collapsed during a strong windstorm, closing the artist center until later in the year.

Click HERE to jump to video link

Upon Tim’s return to DC, he appeared as one of the speakers in a TED Talk about “The Creative City”.
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April

“Jazz Man” tops the refurbished Howard Theater.

Sean Hennessey was in the news as Washington’s historic Howard Theater re-opened to fanfare. Working with Brower Hatcher and Mid-Ocean Studios, Sean created the concrete and glass trumpet form for the team. 
At the opening, Sean was interviewed by National Public Radio (NPR).
Erwin Timmers was one of the 121 featured artists at the 30th Annual Smithsonian Craft Fair. 

Erwin Timmers and Mick Coughlin set up at the National Building Museum.

His cast recycled glass sculptures were a strong point of the show at the National Building Museum.

Space Shuttle Discovery does a low flyover the Washington Glass School in April.

NASA’s Space Shuttle program was retired, and the shuttle “Discovery” flew over the glass school as it headed out across the country. We ate “astronaut freeze dried ice cream” in its honor.

Tim Tate’s glass and video sculptures received the “Critics Award” at Habatat Galleries 40th Annual International exhibit in Michigan.

Habatat Galleries held its 40th Annual International invitational, and exhibited Tim Tate’s video reliquaries. Tim’s work won the Critic’s Award at the show.
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May

May started off running with Glass Art Magazine having an article about Erwin Timmers eco-glass and a cover story about Michael Janis’ frit powder drawings – creating a publishing two-fer! The magazine also late ran a special online feature about Tim Tate & Michael Janis’ Fulbright adventures.
Some great photos by Pete Duvall of Anything Photographic filled the 10 pages of articles about Erwin and Michael.

The design concept for the LOC Adams building doors.
Rubber mold from one of the LOC sculptures.

The Washington Glass Studio began working on the Library of Congress Adams Building doors in May, working to recreate the historic sculpted bronze doors in cast glass. The project  integrates a number of artists from the Washington Glass School and connects craft artisans from FireArt Glass in Portland, OR. Sean Hennessey started the process by creating a test panel taken from the original doors. There would be a full size sample made of the cast /laminated artwork panel, submitted to the US Architect of the Capitol for approval.

Dave D’Orio’s artwork awarded by the JRA.

Artomatic 2012 – the month long, non-juried, anything-goes exhibit opened in May. This year, the setting was a soon-to-be-demolished office building in Crystal City. The James Renwick Alliance (JRA) is an independent national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing scholarship and education on contemporary American craft, to supporting activities directed toward this purpose, and to encouraging connoisseurship and collecting. At this Artomatic, the JRA sponsored activities and programs, and had reviewed the 10 floors of artwork, selecting winners in different media.

Sean Hennessey’s artwork awarded by the JRA

Dave D’Orio, Sean Hennessey and Michael Janis were each selected for their works in glass. The JRA also sponsored receptions and artist talks during the event. (FYI- The not-for-profit organization Artomatic.org has been instrumental in organizing international exhibits that brought together Sunderland artists and the Washington Glass School, and some new plans are being developed for the coming year.)
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June
2012 was anniversary year marking the start of the American Studio Glass Movement in 1962. A number of shows were held this summer to give some insight into how the art form has changed during the past 50 years. In the arty city of Asheville, NC, Bender Gallery showcased Erwin Timmers, and Asheville’s Blue Spiral 1 hosted a show about the next generation of glass artists (including Christina Bothwell, Thor & Jennifer Bueno, Susan Taylor Glasgow, Sean Hennessey, Michael Janis, Marc Petrovic, Tim Tate and others). 

Marc Petrovic demo’s at GAS
Laura Donefer works the runway.

The Glass Arts Society (GAS) held its annual conference in the nominal birthplace of the studio glass movement – Toledo, OH.  Said Tim Tate of the Toledo GAS – “
[Outgoing GAS President] Jeremy Lepisto’s gang did a spectacular job! and Laura Donefer’s fashion show blew me away!”
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July

Sean Hennessey gets serious at the LOC.
The panel molds are cleaned in the studio.

 The month of July was a scorcher! Work continued on the US Library of Congress bronze doors in the sun with temps in the mid ’90’s F (mid 30’s C!). The “rockets red glare” refers to how hot it feels. Sean and crew worked in the brutal heat taking rubber molds from the Lee Lawrie bronze sculpted doors. 

The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Museum opened its spectacular “Craft Futures – 40 Under 40” exhibit. 40 under 40:Craft Futures features forty artists born since 1972, the year the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s contemporary craft and decorative arts program was established at the Renwick.

Matt Szosz at the opening of 40 Under 40.

The show, curated by Nicholas Bell, showed how the youngsters in craft are remaking the world of craft. 
This show generated many discussions on how craft is no longer a part of the “apprentice to a master” world, and is one where the young students wish not to be tied to any one craft media.

Audrey Wilson models the latest in cold shop fashion.

Speaking of kids today, in July, Audrey Wilson joined the Washington Glass School as the new studio coordinator. Audrey had met Tim Tate when he was teaching a workshop at the Chrylser Museum of Glass in June, and applied for the position.

Elegance comes to the Glass School.


Audrey soon was teaching classes at the Glass School, and her accessible and welcoming teaching style won over many of the artists at the studio.
 
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August
In August, the Brentwood Arts Exchange (part of Maryland’s Prince George’s Parks and Recreation) held part of its summer Creative Expressions Camp encouraging the kids to explore a variety of artistic media as well as contemporary reading and writing activities around such themes as animals, nature, and adventure. 

The studio was overrun with kids, all eager to try working in glass. Some showed an intuitive knack for the craft – Who knows where these young artists will take the medium and artworld as they grow up!

Ceramic artist Novie Trump worked in the studio, working to incorporate glass into a commissioned artwork piece. Novie wanted to make an illuminated hive for an installation of ceramic bees. Novie made a number of fused glass alternates and presented to the client – a trendy restaurant in Georgetown.
Ultimately, however, the architect selected a ceramic version for the installation. We will get her to glass somehow, we will not surrender. 

An impressive steed. And a handsome horse too. Michael Janis as a Beltway Cowboy.

The London Olympics were celebrated here as the Washington Glass School hosted the equestrians dressage events along Otis Street. In Mt Rainier, MD.  Ok, the 2012 Summer Olympics did not take place at the Washington Glass School, but the 2012 National Night Out (NNO) did. The NNO is a campaign that involves citizens, police, neighborhoods and local officials to increase crime and drug prevention and to strengthen police-community partnerships.

Then & Today
Left inset: Engraving (ca. 1860) of battlefield site where Joshua Barney fell by Benson Lossing in “Field Book of the War of 1812 “ ; Right: Washington Glass School on the same site. Over the past 200 years, the topography has been modified and changed tremendously – the creek now flows under the concrete pathway opposite the Glass School.

Connections to American history was exposed in the August post about how the Glass School’s Mount Rainier building site was part of a key battle in the War of 1812 – in the Battle of Bladensburg. With the US loss at this battle, British forces swept into Capitol Hill and burned the White House, the Capitol and the Treasury. 

Penland School of Craft Auction Tent, 2012

Michael Sherrill’s incredible studio

An ardent support of the Penland School of Craft, Tim Tate took a group of collectors from the James Renwick Alliance to the annual Penland Auction and as part of the “Tim Tate Tour“.
The group visited the artist studios of Hoss Haley, Michael Sherrill, Dan Essig, Christina Cordova & Pablo De Soto and Stoney Lamar.

Glass artist Beth Lipman with Susan and Fred Sanders at Penland.

The excursion also included an art tour of Asheville, NC with a visit to the Glass Secessionism show at Blue Spiral Gallery.
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September

Carol Trawick, David D’Orio & Catherine Leggett. Photo: Bethesda Urban Partnership

September opened big for artist Dave D’Orio, as he was one of this year’s winner of the Trawick Prize.- a visual art prize produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District that honors artists from Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. The annual juried competition awards prize money to selected artists and features the work of the finalists in a group exhibition. Dave is the executive director of DC GlassWorks, a glass blowing facility (and sister school to the Washington Glass School) in Hyattsville, MD. At the 2012 Artomatic, the James Renwick Alliance gave Dave’s installation sculpture its ‘Award of Recognition’.

Toots Zynsky, William Warmus, Matthew Szösz at Smithsonian Renwick lecture.
William Warmus takes photos of Erwin Timmers’ artwork.

The 40 Under 40 exhibit at the Renwick Gallery continued its run, with author, independent curator and glass expert William Warmus moderating a conversation about the past, present, and future of studio glass between veteran glass artist Toots Zynsky and artist Matthew Szösz. After the talk, William visited the Glass School – of which he said: “It’s better than I thought it’d be…it’s not as bad as it could’ve been“. Hmmm.

The month of September is usually the start of the exhibition season – and this one did not disappoint.  

Detail from Sean Hennessey’s “Finding The Right Key“

Sean Hennessey opened his solo show at the District’s 410Goodbuddy Gallery.  

Based on Alice In Wonderland, Sean’s work in the show: Reimagining Alice incorporates cast glass that was painted with concrete and integrates videos, LEDs, EL panels and other media that pulls traditional glass into new realms.
Tim Tate and Marc Petrovic also had openings in September – at Arizona’s Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum. Under the title “Glass Secessionism”, the show opened to record crowds.

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October

Nancy Donnelly‘s solo show at Foundry Gallery included her “Glass Bouquets” that art critic Lenny Campello described as an update to the Washington Color School saying “… [Nancy’s] new work takes the color stripes from the canvas of the 1960s giants of DMV painting and re-invents it in a  fresh new approach to a 21st century dialogue in glass and concrete”.

Tim Tate teaching at Penland School of Craft

Tim Tate returned to North Carolina’s Penland School of Craft in October, this time teaching with Sean Hennessey and Robert Kincheloe.

Sean Hennessey explains the dry plaster casting process.

The class was 21st Century Reliquaries, and the students incorporated techniques that included Rubber Mold Making, Wax Casting, Plaster/Silica Mold Making, Lost wax, Dry Plaster Casting, Painting Glass, Cutting Glass, Glass etching and Flameworking.
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November
November started with the big show in Chicago – SOFA! 

SOFA Opening Night at Chicago’s Navy Pier
Allegra Marquart’s panels on exhibit at Maurine Littleton.

Michael Janis and Allegra Marquart were shown at Maurine Littleton Gallery and Tim Tate was shown thru Habatat Galleries. As the focus on both craft and art  at SOFA is so high, this show is where the artists have stretched a bit to show they have game.  

Michael Janis’ works were huge!

Michael’s new colorful works involved optical distortion and the resolution of the imagery.

Tim Tate’s works at Habatat Galleries space.

Tim’s new works were a larger scale – and he was thinking outside the dome. 

Upon return to Washington, DC – the setup of shows continued, as artists from the Washington Glass School were featured in the special exhibit on the 50th Anniversary of Studio Glass at the Washington Craft Show. 

Visitors gather around Joan Falconer Byrd, author of the new book “Harvey K Littleton: A Life in Glass“. Ms Byrd was one of the show’s speakers at the event. She was one of the first students in the Toledo workshops and was Professor of Art at Western Carolina University.

Maurine Littleton Gallery’s show-within-a-show was the centerpiece to the Washington Convention Center. 

Historical works by some of the Studio Glass Pioneers were featured.

Works by Tim Tate, Allegra Marquart, Sean Hennessey, Erwin Timmers, Alison Sigethy and Michael Janis were shown as where the next generation of glass artists are heading.

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December

Art Miami’s Aqua show brought throngs.

Miami became the focus of the art world with the Art Basel/Art Miami juggernaut as the world seems to head south for the huge art extravaganza. Washington Glass School artists were well represented, with Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Sean Hennessey and Audrey Wilson’s works at a number of international galleries. 

Audrey Wilson showing at Alida Anderson Art Projects space at Aqua

Audrey did very well, selling a major work to a NYC collector and a museum has asked about having her work for an upcoming art exhibit – awesome!

Everyone at the Washington Glass School sends a big THANK-YOU to all for the love & support this past year… 
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So – should one survive the Zombie Mayan Long Count Armageddon –

Whats coming up in 2013?
We can divulge some news scoops for the coming year – 
Michael Janis will be the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass (AACG) calender boy for the month of January, as the “Artist of the Month”. January… starts the year off right…

Artomatic is planning to host a variation of the Glass 3 (the international exhibition US & UK artists) however, this year, it will be an international Glass + Ceramics showcase at downtown DC’s Edison Gallery – the month of March is being blocked out for the opening, gallery talks, workshops, and events.  

Glassweekend will take place at New Jersey’s WheatonArts this coming June 7,8,9, 2013. The international symposium of contemporary glass will have demos by Beth Lipman, Davide Salvadore, Hiroshi Yamano; the keynote speaker will be Judith Schaecter.  

Best Wishes to all for the Coming New Year!


Posted in aqua, art miami, battle of bladensburg, congress, Craft Show, creative cohesion, discovery space shuttle, facture, glass art magazine, habatat galleries, library of, LOC, sofa lab, sunderland, year in review

The Process: Taking a Mold From Historic Bronze Doors

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With the Memorial Day Weekend here, a blog posting that touches on themes of American Art & history is in order.

Library of Congress, Washington, DC, Adams Building

The Process looks at how the Washington Glass Studio artists are recreating the original, historic bronze doors from the Library of Congress (LOC) Adams Building in kiln-cast glass. 
As mentioned in an earlier post, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) oversees this landmark building, and they sought out ways to provide up-to-date functional aspects for their structures, all while balancing the requirement for maintaining the artistic legacy of its buildings – a daunting task in an ever changing world. Their design for the LOC Adams building was to have the historic bronze entry doors (that could not be brought up to code) set in the “open” position, and install new code-compliant functional glass doors for the public access – with the glass doors designed to reference the original door sculptures. (Click HERE to jump to link post of sculpted bronze door features.) Washington Glass Studio is creating the new cast glass panels, and this edition of The Process looks at how the molds are being taken from the original doors in-situ. 

Sean Hennessey, the master caster, sets up his mold making equipment and preps the doors.

The LOC was very concerned that the mold taking process could adversely impact the patina of the bronze doors, so before any work on the doors was completed, testing of the materials and release agents were conducted on an inconspicuous section of the backside of the doors.

A section of the door backside was tested for any reaction to the materials.
The sample came off with no residue or impact to the original  bronze finish.
Given the go-ahead, Sean enjoys a day in the sun.
The bronze door area surrounding the bas-relief is masked off. 
Care is taken for the surrounding area. Sean shown here assisted by Erin Cumbo.
The layering of the silicone rubber mold material starts.
The mold is allowed to set-up until firm, and then peeled off.
“Mother Mold” material is added to give structural strength to the casting.
The finished rubber mold.

The molds will later be used to create the original forms for the kiln-casting process – more about the glass casting process in later postings!.

Posted in adams building, AOC, architect of the capitol, architectural application glass, historic glass art, lee lawrie, library of congress, LOC

US Library of Congress’ New Cast Sculptural Glass Doors

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Aerial view of US Capitol on the Mall, Washington, DC. Library of Congress is center bottom of photo.

The Washington Glass Studio (WGS) has started the creation of the new cast sculptural glass doors for the Library of Congress (LOC) in Washington, DC. The design of the project started in 2004, when the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) first asked WGS about advise on their initial proposal to replace the original historic bronze doors of the LOC Adams Building, as the doors required security and changes to be code-compliant. The AOC also sought to reference the artistic heritage of the original doors in this important United States building.

One of the original bronze door pairs by sculptor Lee Lawrie

The original (11′-0″H) bronze doors had functional issues and will be retained in their present hold-open position, recessed into architectural niches. The 16 sculpted bronze doors feature high-relief sculptures by American artist Lee Lawrie, whose best known work is the architectural sculpture on and around New York’s Rockefeller Center. Lawrie’s bronze doors were designed to commemorate the history of the written word, depicting gods of writing as well as real-life Native American Sequoyah. 

Lee Lawrie,  1877-1963,  American sculptor, best known for his architectural work at NY’s Rockefeller Center, especially for the free-standing “Atlas” sculpture.
Ogma and Sequoyah, sculpted bronze figures by Lee Lawrie. Door detail, Library of Congress John Adams Building, Washington, DC.
The original bronze figures depict:

The new door design incorporates cast glass panels mounted within a bronze framework,  incorporating current egress and security requirements. The kilnformed sculptural glass will be made from molds taken off the original door sculptures. Using clear Bullseye glass to cast, the sculpted glass panels will then be laminated to tempered glass for safety. The new glass doors will create a contemporary luminosity to the building entrances, while keeping the character of the historic landmark structure.

original bronze doors – east side  (top)
Design of new bronze and cast glass doors – west side (bottom)

The scale of the project has prompted a collaboration between Washington Glass Studio and Fireart Glass Studio in Portland, OR. The project “dream-team” includes (Bullseye Glass co-founder) Ray Ahlgren, Erwin Timmers, Michael Janis, Tim Tate and Sean Hennessey. 
Master mold caster, Sean Hennessey, has started the project, creating the molds from the existing bronze doors in-situ. Some photos of that process will be posted later.

Posted in architect of the capitol, architectural application glass, contemporary sculpture, fireart glass, fused glass sculpture, historical glass art, kiln-formed, landmark, library of congress, LOC, ray ahlgren, wgs