Works by Tim Tate and Michael Janis will be featured at Habatat Galleries online venue.
Intersect Chicago is replacing SOFA virtually for the 2020 art fair edition due to COVID-19.
Going “Live” online from November 6-12, with a dedicated VIP Preview day on November 5, 2020, the fair will feature a special focus for each day, including: Glass, Contemporary Art, Ceramic and Craft, Design, Outsider Art, Fiber Art, and Public Art / Sculpture.
Intersect Chicago Art Fair will showcase work by WGS artist Michael Janis at Habatat Galleries
For more information on the Art Fair – click HERE.
Public art created by artists of the Washington Glass Studio both enrich and celebrate diverse communities. Successful projects include – The Monumental Doors for the Library of Congress, Laurel Library, the Washington DC Gateway Arch, and the West Palm Beach International Airport.
Michael Janis and Erwin Timmers will discuss how they navigate the complex processes from finding the projects to their ultimate creation and installation.
On Tuesday, September 15, at 2 p.m. Eastern time, AACG starts their Online Education Series called “FIRED UP” - click on the link to register for the free event:
The Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to further the development and appreciation of art made from glass.
The Alliance informs collectors, critics and curators by encouraging and supporting museum exhibitions, university glass departments and specialized teaching programs, regional collector groups, visits to private collections, and public seminars.
Works by Sean Donlon, Michael Janis, Jennifer Caldwell & Jason Chakravarty, Joseph Ivacic and Tim Tate.
Those who have yet to visit the exhibition should grab the chance to see these truly wonderful works online – click HERE to jump to online exhibit!
Works by Cheryl Derricotte, Sean Hennessey, Erwin Timmers, Jennifer Caldwell & Jason Chakravarty and Carmen Lozar.
“Artists For Racial Justice” exhibit and fundraising for non-profits that can help with equality with art as a tool for healing and peace to help at this time.
The pandemic has changed many planned arts events across the world. Habatat Galleries has adapted their planned Glass48 International event to an online presentation so the exhibition can be viewed from anywhere. This monumental experience will allow all visitors to view presentation from anywhere in the world. This experience includes personalized videos of each artists work and will also feature studio tours.
WGS Artists Tim Tate and Michael Janis are featured in the International exhibit – and they each have video presentations of their individual work and of their collaborative work.
We are social creatures. Every relationship has been built and held together by complicated nonverbal language, beginning with parent and child. It’s part of our social fabric. Individual, family, and interpersonal relationships have all changed as a result of the COVID-19 emergency. What is the characteristic of a pandemic? Emptiness. The unusual quiet in what was normally noisy, bustling neighborhood. Silence – where the silence isn’t merely the absence of noise. It’s judgement, longing and paranoia.The fear the we may be ourselves a transmitter of the virus as we seek the comfort of others.
How people are psychologically affected by and coping with the COVID-19 emergency is the basis of the installation of kiln cast glass by WGS artist Michael Janis. Over 20 individual glass panels make up the large wall-mounted work.
Janis’ signature “sgraffito” imagery – where he manipulates fine crushed glass powder into highly detailed imagery and portraiture, fires the images into layers of colored glass is used to strong effect in this new work. Images of that convey the sense of how we are connected and yet are contained into separate worlds is the essence of the work. Working in the isolation of the lock downed studio, Janis says he will continue to add to the installation as the virus continues to work thru the world. “Working on artwork keeps me sane” says the artist.
Partial view of Michael Janis’ “How We Take Care Of Each Other” glass art installation. Kilnformed glass; glass powder imagery; varying dimensions; 2020.
Partial view of Michael Janis’ “How We Take Care Of Each Other” glass art installation. Larger panels approx. 18″ (45cm) dia.
Detail of one of the fused glass panels in Michael Janis’ installation. Imagery made from glass powder in Janis’ signature sgraffito technique.
Detail of Michael Janis’ glass art installation “How We Take Care Of Each Other”
Detail of works by Michael Janis. The translucent glass panels are mounted off the wall in varying dimensions, with light and shadow highlighting each panel edge.
Detail of one of Michael Janis’ kilnformed works. COVID-19 cases are heavily concentrated in the African American population.
The fabric of society is held together by even the smallest physical contact. Touch is as important a social condition as anything. It reduces stress. It makes people trust one another. It allows for cooperation. When you look at people in solitary confinement suffering from touch deprivation, you see that people lose a sense that someone’s got their back, that they’re part of a community and connected to others.
The Baltimore conference is a great place to meet people in the glass arts, to share ideas, techniques and experiences, with the planned glass art auction, artwork exhibition and more. Demos and workshops by international artists including Narcissus Quagliata and Judith Schaechter!– Talks featuring Shawn Waggoner, Tim Carey, Judith Schaecter, Ken Leap and Nancy Gong! WGS Co-Director, Michael Janis, will be a keynote speaker!
The Annual Live AGG Auction raises funds for the James Whitney Memorial Scholarship. Since 2007 the Whitney Memorial Scholarship has handed out over 125 scholarships for glass education. Recipients receive full or partial scholarships for various glass educational opportunities, such as conferences and workshops, or ongoing educational efforts.
The American Glass Guild (AGG) is a non-profit organization whose core mission is to work toward building an environment within the craft that both cultivates novices and facilitates experienced craftspeople and artisans to attain a higher level of expertise. The AGG’s intention is to support and provide speakers for public lectures and seminars, encourage spirited debates, and initiate fact-based research.
This years Art Basel / Miami Art Week is December 2 – 8, 2019. It’s the best time of the year for viewing contemporary art in Florida, if not the entire world. Miami and Miami Beach will be the center of the art world for a week. More than a thousand art galleries from around the world participate in some eighteen art fairs. You’ll see amazing artwork from around the world.
Potomac, MD’s Alida Anderson Art Projects will be presenting new works by WGS Co-Directors Tim Tate and Michael Janis at their gallery in the 15th edition of the PULSE Art Fair.
Tim Tate and Michael Janis’ collaborative glass/mixed media artwork titled: “The Longing for Transcendence” will be on display at Alida Anderson space #501 during Pulse Art Fair.
A new feature for the fair, PULSE Perspectivos, a dual-language series of talks and tours held in English and Spanish. A presentation, “On Identity in the Arts: What Does It Mean to be Latino/a? Latino, Latina, Latin(x), Hispanic…”, held in Spanish at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The conversation will be led by art critic, writer and blogger Florencio Lennox (aka Lenny) Campello who has been spearheading interactive events discussing these issues for the past few years.
El Sentinel / the Sun-Sentinel have already been posting about the upcoming arrival of our glass artist’s works!
PULSE Art Fair is located as Indian Beach Park, 4601 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, and 46th Street with direct access from the beach and the boardwalk.
PULSE Art Fair is open to the public from Thursday, December 5 through Sunday, December 8, 2019. A Private Preview Brunch will be held Thursday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Peppermill Community Center with the internally illuminated artwork “Telling Our Story…” by Washington Glass Studio.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) commissioned Washington Glass Studio (WGS) to create a public art sculpture for the new addition to the Peppermill Community Center in Landover, MD.
Shop drawing of sculpture by WGS.
Some communities see public art as a way of enhancing or personalizing otherwise impersonal spaces. Others view it as a means to activate civic dialogue or provide a vehicle for the community to express its identity.
These landmarks and special events enhance our experience of a place and our quality of life. They engender a sense of pride and community identity. They reach audiences outside museums, galleries, and theaters, and they add to the beauty of everyday life. They declare the worth of a place and a time in our shared culture.
Erwin Timmers leads a community glass making workshop at the Washington Glass School.
As such, the design of the site-specific sculpture by WGS was centered on finding ways to get the community excited and engaged with the convergence of art, history and community. The proposal for the art was based on a 15’H tower of glass and steel that would be internally illuminated with over 100 glass inset panels. The artwork of the insets were to be created by involving the community via a series of glass-making workshops held at the Washington Glass School.
A great cross section of community came out to be part of the creation of the new public art for Peppermill Community Center.
The residents and stakeholders were tasked with showing what they felt important to them and what inspired them were made. Images of family, nature, the environment, their neighborhoods, their sports teams were rendered in glass.
All sorts of imagery and glass techniques were employed to great effect.
Cast glass images of the social groups – the sewing groups, the cheer squads, the state flag – even a Maryland blue crab were crafted. Historical references to the nearby horse farms and the old roller rink were included in the mix of glass panels. Part of the fun of the artwork is seeing how this mix of images and references all somehow work together.
The tower, titled :”Telling Our Story…” adds a powerful and dramatic artistic element at the new entry at the community center.
Shaping places—with landmarks and landscapes, events and ideologies—sets the stage for a critical part of our existence: our connection with our environment; with our past, present, and future; and with other human beings.
The mix of images and stories told create a compelling and inclusive mixture – each distinctive and unique – yet cohesive as a whole.
“Telling Our Story…” Artist: Washington Glass Studio Project Team: Teri Bailey, Michael Janis, Erwin Timmers, Tim Tate and Lee Kind. Media: Cast and fused glass, steel, LED lighting, concrete. Location: Peppermill Community Center, 610 Hill Rd, Landover, MD 20785 Client: The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Howard Cohen – an Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass (AACG) Board member- presented a lecture series at Goucher College in Townson MD. The students in the class focused on the works of artist Dale Chihuly in the first lecture of the series.
Howard Cohen presents the history and works of artist Dale Chihuly at Goucher College.
The secont part of the Glass Class series focused on the works and history of artist Michael Janis.
Artist Michael Janis talks about his work and how the art world is changing.
Michael Janis’ background as a glass artist proved to be fascinating to the audience.
The class ended with the students seeking more information about glass and glass exhiitions. Many wanted to schedule a tour of the Washington Glass School and Studio in the fall – will post if theis comes to pass!
The dedication of the Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Fairfax, VA took place Monday, July 8.
Inova Schar Cancer Institute located at 8081 Innovation Park Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031
The Arts & Healing Program at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, a department of Inova Fairfax Hospital, is a collaboration with the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, and uses art in its many forms to help support people in treatment and recovery and their loved ones. This innovative program includes a robust permanent art collection and ongoing exhibitions, performing arts events, and other workshops.
Opening dedication ceremony of the Arts & Healing program at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute.
The Arts & Healing Program is a resource for families, loved ones and the community to support Inova Schar’s core mission and philosophy to provide patient-centered care. New acquisitions and special site-specific artworks many DC area artists – including WGS’ Michael Janis, Tim Tate, and Allegra Marquart are in the new collection as well as works by Foon Sham, Valerie Theberge, Alan Binstock, Wendy Ross, and Susan Hostetler.
Artists Alan Binstock and Valerie Theberge with Arts Director Shanti Norris.
Sculpture by Foon Sham at the new Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Fairfax, VA.
The Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at Inova Schar Cancer Institute is dedicated to exhibiting fine art that explores the innate connection between healing and creativity. Through a rotating exhibition schedule, the gallery features contemporary artists that address a diversity of significant themes, including spirituality, social change, multiculturalism, health, environmentalism and community.
One of the large commissioned artworks is a site-specific installation work by glass sculptor Michael Janis. The Washington Glass School blog has asked Michael to outline the work’s meanings and the processes he used to create the monumental recognition wall.
Dwight Schar Recognition Wall at Inova Schar Cancer Institute
Inspired by the story of Dwight Schar, founder and chairman of homebuilding and mortgage giant NVR, and donation by he and his wife to develop the cancer research institute that now bears their names, I worked at creating glass pieces that have both visual and spatial depth. Mr Schar’s mother died very young, lacking of good healthcare, and Mr Schar saw the creation of a cancer center and affording them the equipment and facilities needed to advance their treatments and research as a way to repay the community that supported his home building company.
Artist Michael Janis talks to the tour group about his unusual glass technique.
The artwork installation is a tribute to his history and largesse. A rendering of Dwight Schar made of crushed glass powder overlaps cast glass squares that depict references homes and community, as well as the advancements that science and research could bring to the world. In the center of the artwork installation, cancer awareness ribbons are the focal point, in its natural clear state, allowing all symbolic cancer awareness colors to be seen within. The end framing panels are a special iridescent glass that has many colors that shift intensity depending on the viewer perspective.
Inova Schar Cancer Institute fired in kiln-cast glass.
The central portrait of Mr Schar is made from crushed black glass powder. The fine powder was carefully manipulated with scalpel and brushes to form the detailed likeness and took many hours and kiln firings to complete.
The clear glass ribbons have become the symbol of the new Inova Schar Institute – and Washington Glass School was later commissioned to make smaller versions of the ribbons as commemorative sculptures for valued benefactors and volunteers to the new Cancer Center.
Lisa Ellis receives recognition for her work in creating the arts program at Inova Schar Institute.
