Category Archives: “michael janis” glass

The First 25 Years of Washington Glass School

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Michael Janis on glass, public art, and 20 years in the Mt Rainier Gateway Arts District

Michael Janis cutting glass in the Washington Glass School studio in 2025.
Michael Janis cutting glass in the Washington Glass School studio in 2025.

Michael Janis is a contemporary glass artist and public art sculptor based in Washington, DC. He is a co-director of the Washington Glass School, an artist-run studio and educational center focused on contemporary glass practices.

In 2026, Washington Glass School marks 25 years since its founding and 20 years since establishing its home in Mount Rainier, Maryland. Janis became co-director of the school in 2005, shortly before the previous studio site in Washington, DC was taken through eminent domain for the development of Nationals Park.

Washington Glass School at 1338 Half Street SE in Washington, DC, before relocation for Nationals Park.
Washington Glass School at 1338 Half Street SE (now Nationals outfield)

Janis is known for narrative glass sculpture, community-engaged public art, and memorial projects addressing identity, memory, and social history. His work appears in permanent museum collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Tacoma Museum of Glass, and the Museum of American Glass, among others. He has completed public art commissions for libraries, medical centers, and civic spaces throughout Washington, DC, the Mid-Atlantic region, and beyond.

Michael Janis riding a horse in front of Washington Glass School in 2012.
Michael Janis riding a horse in front of Washington Glass School, 2012

We spoke with Michael Janis about the history of Washington Glass School, his studio practice, and the role of glass in public art and memorial projects.

Q: Washington Glass School is marking 25 years, with 20 years in Mt Rainier. What does this milestone represent for you?

Michael Janis:
The 25-year mark reflects the value of being anchored while continuing to adapt.

Washington Glass School began in 2000 in Washington, DC. I became co-director in 2005, shortly before the original studio site was taken through eminent domain for the construction of Nationals Park. Losing that space forced a reset. We relocated to Mt Rainier and rebuilt the school from the ground up.

The move to Mt Rainier came as we expanded education programs, developed public art work, and built long-term partnerships with artists and communities. Reaching 20 years in the Gateway Arts District shows the importance of stability for an arts organization after a period of displacement and transition.

Michael Janis teaching a glass class in front of a kiln at Washington Glass School in 2007.
Interior of Washington Glass School, 2007, teaching at kiln

Q: How did becoming co-director in 2005 shape the direction of the school?

Michael Janis:
Becoming co-director in 2005 placed me in a leadership role during a period of disruption.

The loss of the original DC studio meant the school had to redefine the business model, the student base, and the physical layout. We focused on building a tight and adaptable studio space, reworking class offerings, and creating a framework for contemporary glass practices.

Michael Janis teaching an architectural plate glass class in 2005.
Michael Janis teaching an architectural plate glass class at Washington Glass School in 2005.

From the start, we saw the school as both a teaching center and a working studio. That combined role became the basis for how we developed public art projects and community-based programs.

Michael Janis working with community members during a glass workshop at Washington Glass School.
Community workshop for Peppermill Community Center

Q: What is the core mission of Washington Glass School today?

Michael Janis:
The core mission is supporting contemporary glass art through education, studio practice, and public art work.

We teach a wide range of glass techniques, including kilnforming, casting, and architectural glass. We also host artist talks, exhibitions, and workshops.

Another major part of the mission involves community engagement. We recently worked with military veterans through an arts therapy program developed by the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington. We also work with local residents, students, and partner organizations to create glass components for public art projects placed in civic spaces.

Military veterans participating in the Hot Shop Heroes glass workshop at Washington Glass School in 2023.
Hot Shop Heroes military veterans workshop, 2023

Q: What kind of art do you make in your own practice?

Michael Janis:
I make narrative sculptural glass art.

My studio work focuses on figurative glass sculpture and relief panels. The work addresses identity, emotional presence, and social experience.

In public art, I design large-scale glass installations and memorials for civic spaces. Many of these projects include community participation, where local residents help create glass components that become part of the finished artwork.

Wall-mounted glass artwork titled Scattering of Light by Michael Janis, 2024.
Low poly wall artwork “Scattering of Light,” 2024

Q: How does glass function in your public art and memorial projects?

Michael Janis:
Glass interacts with light, reflection, and transparency.

These qualities support narrative work in both studio and public art settings. In figurative sculpture, distortion and reflection suggest emotional states. In memorial projects, glass holds collective memory through light and color.

Glass also works well in civic architecture. It allows light to pass into buildings while carrying imagery and text.

Detail of the glass sculpture Telling Our Stories at Peppermill Community Center.
Detail of Peppermill Community Center sculpture “Telling Our Stories…”

Q: What are some examples of public art projects developed through Washington Glass School?

Michael Janis:
Washington Glass School has served as the studio base for a range of public art commissions.

Recent and ongoing projects include:

  • A DC Ward 5 community-based glass memorial honoring the enslaved people who built the U.S. Capitol
  • Glass and bronze sculpted artwork for the Library of Congress Adams Building Monumental Doors
  • A large-scale glass installation for Laurel Library in Maryland
  • A public art commission for Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center in Washington, DC
  • A community-engaged glass project in Historic Kempsville, Virginia

Each project involved collaboration with architects, government agencies, and community members.

Michael Janis in front of his public art installation at Cedar Hill Medical Center in Washington, DC.
Michael Janis at Cedar Hill Medical Center artwork (screen grab from East of the River)

Q: Why is community participation central to your public art process?

Michael Janis:
Community participation changes the role of public art.

Local residents take part in creating glass tiles, panels, and imagery. These components become part of the finished artwork installed in shared spaces.

This process builds connection between people and the artwork. In memorial projects, participation also helps address historical and social topics through shared making rather than top-down design.

Q: Where can people see your work in public or in museum collections?

Michael Janis:
My work appears in permanent collections such as:

  • The Art Institute of Chicago
  • The Tacoma Museum of Glass
  • The Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  • The Fuller Craft Museum, Massachusetts
  • The Museum of American Glass, New Jersey

Public installations appear at:

  • The Library of Congress Adams Building
  • Laurel Library, Maryland
  • Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center, Washington, DC
  • Community sites throughout Washington, DC

Q: What themes run through your work as a contemporary glass artist?

Michael Janis:
The main themes involve identity, memory, and emotional presence.

In the studio, I focus on figurative glass sculpture addressing psychological states and social relationships.

In public art, I focus on collective memory and historical narrative.

Across both areas, light and reflection create a relationship between the artwork and the viewer.

Q: How do you see the future role of Washington Glass School?

Michael Janis:
Washington Glass School will continue to support contemporary glass practices.

We will expand education programs, public art partnerships, and community-based projects. Many of the studio’s resident artists become instructors and contribute new workshop ideas.

The school will also remain a working studio for public art production and artist collaboration.

Q: What advice would you give to artists interested in glass and public art?

Michael Janis:
Develop a strong studio practice. Learn how to work with architects, engineers, and fabricators.

Understand public art as a long-term commitment to shared spaces and community needs.

For More About Michael Janis

Links:

[Michael Janis: Washington Glass Artist and Sgraffito Glass Art]
[Faculty & Staff | Washington Glass Studio]
[Michael Janis – Wikipedia]
[Public Art/ Monuments | Washington Glass Studio]

Posted in "michael janis" glass, fulbright scholar michael janis, michael janis

New year. Same studio. Slightly more superpowers.

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Three mild-mannered artists. One studio. Twenty-five years of heat, pressure, and improbable strength.

2026 arrives with momentum, memory, and a few surprises we’re not quite ready to name.
Let’s just say: it’s a year shaped by long friendships, shared risks, and the kind of collective energy that doesn’t happen overnight.

We’ll be revealing things as the year unfolds—
not all at once, not too fast.
That’s part of the fun.

Happy New Year from all of us at Washington Glass School.
Keep your eyes open.

Posted in "michael janis" "washington glass school" "emerging artist", "michael janis" glass, "washington glass studio", DMV, erwin timmers, gateway arts center, gateway arts district, michael janis, pop culture, pop-art, Prince George's County, Prince George's County Arts Council, superstar, Tim Tate, Washington Glass Studio, Washington School of Glass

Washington Glass School Artists Featured in Major Museum Gift

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Washington Glass School is excited to share that co-directors Michael Janis and Tim Tate are among the artists included in a significant new acquisition by The Baker Museum in Naples, Florida. The museum has received The Dr. Laurence and Rita Sibrack Collection of Contemporary Glass and Ceramics, a gift that brings 74 works by 60 artists into the museum’s permanent collection.

The Baker Museum in Naples, FL

The Sibrack Collection includes works by some of the most influential names in contemporary glass and ceramics, including Dale Chihuly, Judith Schaechter, Amber Cowan, Preston Singletary, Lucio Bubacco—and now, Michael Janis and Tim Tate. This collection spans nearly every major glass technique, from flame-worked to blown and cast, and reflects a deep appreciation for material, form, and light.

The Baker Museum’s decision to fully integrate these works into its broader holdings marks a continued shift in how museums value glass and ceramics—not as separate from fine art, but as essential parts of its story. For Janis and Tate, who have each spent decades advancing contemporary glass as a narrative and conceptual art form, this recognition is especially meaningful.

“Our work is about storytelling through material,” said Michael Janis. “Being included in a collection like this, which treats glass as a vehicle for meaning and not just decoration, affirms why we do what we do.”

Tim Tate added, “What the Sibracks have built is not just a personal collection—it’s a statement about the relevance and emotional range of glass today.”

Rita and Dr Laurence Sibrak

The Sibracks, longtime supporters of Artis—Naples, were first inspired by a 2000 exhibition of Chihuly’s work at the museum. Their decision to make this donation stems from a long commitment to both the institution and the idea that art should be lived with, shared, and accessible to all.

This acquisition places the work of two DC-based artists into one of the most respected collections in the region, further establishing the impact of the Washington Glass School on the national stage. We’re proud to see Michael and Tim’s work recognized alongside such powerful voices in the field and grateful to the Sibracks and the Baker Museum for helping bring greater visibility to the language of glass.

The collection will be celebrated in the upcoming exhibition “The Passion of Collecting: Stories in Glass and Ceramics from the Sibrack Collection,” opening January 10, 2026 at The Baker Museum and remaining on view through the fall.

Following is a complete list of artists in the The Dr. Laurence and Rita Sibrack Collection of Contemporary Glass and Ceramics: Dean Allison, Adrian Arleo, Michael Behrens, Susan Beiner, Alex Bernstein, Charles Birbaum, Christina Bothwell, Peter Bremers, Emily Brock, Lucio Bubacco, Jim Budde, Nancy Callan, Dale Chihuly, A-Mi Choi, Amber Cowan, Dan Dailey, Stefen Dam, Laura Donefer, Michael Glancy, Peter Hora, Agnes Husz, Jannet Iskander, Martin Janecky, Michael Janis, William Kidd, Sabrina Knowles, Velarde Kukuli, K. William LeQuier, Dianne Martin Lublinski, Emma Luna, Robert Mickelsen, Shelley Muzylowski Allen, Harumi Nakashima, Sybelle Peretti, Lindsay Pichaske, Jenny Pohlman, Clyfford Rainey, David Regan, Colin Reid, Ross Richmond, George Rodriquez, Davide Salvadore, Judith Schaechter, Livio Seguso, Preston Singletary, Carmen Spera, Kristen Stingle, April Surgent, Matthew Szösz, Etsuko Tashimu, Tim Tate, Tip Toland, Margit Tóth, Hidenori Tsumori, Sam Tuffnell, Janusz Walentynowicz, Patti Warashina, Ann Wolff, Loretta Yang and Mary Ann Zynsky.

To learn more about the museum and the artists in the collection, visit artisnaples.org.

Posted in "michael janis" glass, fulbright scholar tim tate, michael janis, Tim Tate | Tagged , , , ,

Michael Janis’ Art Ignites the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum’s “Catching Fire” Auction

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Michael Janis “The Pale Dawn” photo credit Pete Duvall.

Co-Director Michael Janis’ glass sgraffito panel “The Pale Dawn” will be part of the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass’s Live Auction “Catching Fire” on June 11 – an artful virtual auction featuring over 100 glass artworks and experiences with proceeds supporting the participating artists and the BMM Glass educational programs. Bid on silent auction items June 4–14, with a live virtual auction June 11th at 6:45pm CST. 

The work “Pale Dawn” is a portrait that leans into quiet tension—between realism and abstraction, softness and structure. The figure is set against blocks of muted olive and turquoise, with black powdered frit forming the clothing and gradually dissolving into the white background. There’s a sense of stillness in her gaze, but also a bit of mystery in how the form starts to fade at the bottom.

fused glass art figurative sgraffito
Michael Janis studies for “The Pale Dawn” showing how color and pattern were investigated.

We’ve included some of the early studies for color and detail to show how the piece came together—those small experiments helped evolve and shape the final direction.

Check it out the work on the BMM auction site https://event.gives/catchingfire/items

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Join DC Community Public Art Workshop Presentation June 22nd

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The upcoming community presentation on June 22nd at the Landon Park Recreation Center will provide a platform for Ward 5 residents to view and discuss the proposed design for the memorial. This event is not only a preview of the memorial but also an invitation for the community to contribute their voices to this landmark project.

The memorial aims to be a poignant reminder of the systemic racism and exploitation that have marred American history, while also celebrating the resilience and enduring legacy of those who were enslaved. Situated in the nation’s capital, this tribute will join the ranks of many other monuments and memorials, enriching the narrative with stories of those who have been historically marginalized. As the Nation’s capital, monuments and commemorative works have typically been focused on or reserved for commemoration to individuals or subjects of national importance within the monumental core, the original L’Enfant City, and mostly in Wards 1, 2, 3, and 6. Many of these subjects participated in slavery, systemic racism, and the mistreatment of, or took actions that suppressed equality for, persons of color, certain groups of people, and women.

In a historic move to acknowledge and honor the invaluable contributions of enslaved individuals who helped build the U.S. Capitol, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), in collaboration with the DC Office of Planning (OP), has selected WGS Co-Director Michael Janis to design the Ward 5 Public Art Memorial. This significant project aims to shed light on the often-overlooked role of over 200 enslaved people whose labor laid the foundation for one of the most iconic symbols of democracy.

Date: June 22, 2024

Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: Landon Park Recreation Center, 2901 20th St NE, Washington, DC 20018

Janis, Co-Director of the Washington Glass School (WGS), has been actively engaging with the DC Ward 5 community to ensure that the memorial resonates with the local residents and accurately reflects the historical significance and human stories behind the Capitol’s construction. This community-centered approach underscores the importance of collective memory and inclusivity in public art.

DC’s Commemorative Works Program reviews proposals submitted by sponsors, but since the program was established in 2001 has received only a handful of applications for local subjects. OP’s Commemorate DC work includes technical assistance to community partners in Wards 4, 5, 7, and 8 to identify commemorative subjects and sites before supporting efforts in Wards 1, 2, 3, and 6. The Office of Planning’s partners are convening meetings with community groups and residents to discuss subjects to commemorate, appropriate sites, and concept designs of commemorative works. Concept designs will be reviewed by the Commemorative Works Committee who will make a recommendation on each proposal to the Mayor and District Council, who have final review and approval. A link to the 4 initial Commemorative projects here.

The DC Public Art Memorial is more than a work of art; it is a symbol of reconciliation, education, and recognition. It will invite all visitors to reflect on the past and encourage ongoing dialogue about equality and justice.

Join Michael Janis, the DC CAH & OP along with the Ward 5 community on June 22nd to participate in the outlining of a project that seeks to honor the past and inspire a future of inclusivity and acknowledgment. This is an important occasion for Washington, DC, and for the nation, as we begin this transformative initiative. 

 More images and info on Michael Janis’s project here : http://washingtonglassschool.com/wgs-michael-janis-selected-as-artist-to-create-new-washington-dc-memorial

Posted in "michael janis" glass, CAH, DCCAH, glass public art, michael janis, Public Art

Visit 2022 Venice Biennale Online!

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Join the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass (AACG) this Tuesday, June 21, at 2 p.m. (Eastern Time) for the next Fired Up! education series program. Art critic / curator William Warmus will review artworks in glass at the 2022 Venice Biennale and talk about the 2022 exhibit for Glasstress.

View of Fondazione Berengo Art Space, Campiello della Pescheria 4

Bill just returned from visiting Venice and can give us great insights into how glass is being used in art today by artists from around the world. He will also talk about Glasstress, a project by Adriano Berengo to further Berengo’s mission to promote the use of glass in the world of contemporary art. The first Glasstress exhibition was launched in 2009 to establish a new platform for art made with glass and was founded as a collateral event of the Venice Biennale. This is the seventh edition of Glasstress, where Berengo Studios has brought together a group of leading contemporary artists from Europe, the United States, Latin America, Africa and China in an ambitious exhibition that explores the infinite creative possibilities of glass. The works are hosted inside the Berengo Art Space Foundation in Murano, an old abandoned furnace transformed a few years ago into a suggestive exhibition space.

Click HERE to register for this online event.

This program is open to the public. Feel free to invite others to attend.

Posted in "michael janis" glass, aacg, chris shea, GLASSTRESS, Tim Tate, venice biennale, william warmus | Tagged

Habatat Galleries Celebrates 50 Years

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This Friday, September 3rd, Michigan’s Habatat Galleries presents the opening of Glass Art Fair exhibition at 11:00 a.m. ET. This will be the VIP preview day for the online art fair as it opens to the public virtually the next day. This presentation includes many of available works that will be featured in the Habatat Galleries 50th in-person celebration.

Michael Janis’ kilncast glass is featured in Habatat Galleries 50th Anniversary exhibit.

Artists from around the world have been invited to this event and the gallery expects a large turnout since all have been apart for so long. During the pandemic Habatat has been pioneering the world of virtual glass art events including Glass49, GlassArtFair, the new annual Not Grandma’s Glass exhibition, and the highly apropos Viral Glass exhibition. Director Aaron Schey has created a treasure trove of digital presentations over the last year via Habatat Now programs which are viewable on YouTube.

Gallery founder Ferdinand Hampson shares his thoughts about Habatat’s Legacy: Founded in 1971, Habatat has promoted, legitimized, and elevated a new art material to a point of recognition by the art community. Fifty years later we evolved with glass. We continue our efforts towards the mainstream though we are no longer outsiders. Fine art collectors, museums, and noted art publications have in many cases recognized the medium and shared in the excitement of what this material can do and be, in the hands of creative artists worldwide.

Tim Tate and Michael Janis’ collaborative work – “The Poetry of Everyday Objects” is featured.

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"Material World" Artist Talk at artdc Gallery

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Material World opened this weekend at artdc Gallery. The show focuses on artists and how they balance the use of materials and content.

This Saturday from 2-3 pm there will be a gallery talk featuring three artists: Sherill Anne Gross, Marie Ringwald and Michael Janis.

Material World
artdc Gallery

5710 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD

Open thru April 3, 2011

Artists exhibiting include: Michael Janis, Marie Ringwald, Matthew Langely, JT Kirkland, Katherine Mann and Sherill Anne Gross. A second artist talk featuring Matt Langley will be held Saturday, April 2.

Marie Ringwald
Chunky Patchwork Sheds – paint, wood, tar paper, various metals + nails; each about 6.5″ high x 5.5″ x 5.5″

Curator Stephen Boocks writes in the catalog of the show: “Marie Ringwald refers to herself as a minimalist but most viewers would not readily characterize her work that way.There are clear associations to architectural structures, primarily warehouses and barns…For Ringwald, developing in the 60s and 70s, minimalist abstraction seemed the most natural way of making art. After years of working in this manner she realized she was incorporating these architectural elements into her abstract works began asking, “Why not bring them out into the open? Why not incorporate the actual materials used in the construction of these structures?”

Michael Janis
Again and Again – glass, fused glass powder imagery, steel, 20″ x 20″

In the exhibition catalog “Material World – Art Supplies in the Twentyfirst Century” curator Boocks writes: “When most people think of glass art, they typically think of blown glass (or hot glass) vessels like those of Dale Chihuly… Michael Janis works in the warm glass method that fuses glass elements together into one piece by layering multiple glass sheets together. The virtuosity of Janis’ technique supports his imagery, which is often tinged with a nostalgia for days where innocence reigned and magic seemed possible. Janis is not simply naïve, for there is a darker undercurrent to these works that speaks to the loss of this sense of wonder.”

Sherill Anne Gross
Blood Sweat and Tears – paper, 18″ x 11″

“To say Sherill Anne Gross is obsessed with paper is an understatement. When the local Pearl art supply store went out of business, Gross purchased all of her favorite papers and many others to build quite a stock of materials… She is not only obsessive about her materials but also about her technique”…writes Boocks.

Here is a video of talented paper artist Sherill Gross as she cuts out her signature:

Click HERE for a link to the artdc Gallery catalog of the Material World exhibition.

Posted in "michael janis" glass, artdc, artist talk, Marie Ringwald, material world, sherill anne gross

‘New Glass Review’ features Washington Glass School artist

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The Corning Museum of Glass hosts a yearly international review of glass in a publication from Germany called New Glass Review (Neues Glas).

This year’s judges included Rachel Berwick, Department Head of Glass, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island; Mieke Groot, independant curator, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Tina Oldknow, the Curator of Modern Glass for Corning Museum, Corning, New York; and Dante Marioni, glass superstar, Seattle, Washington.

A total of 1,047 artists from 43 countries sent 2,974 images of work for consideration. Of these 100 were selected for inclusion in New Glass Review 30, and I am thrilled to be one of those 100! The publication is due in May, and the images will be part of the Corning Museum’s Rakow Research Library.

Michael Janis

Posted in "michael janis" glass, architecture, award, neues glass, new glass review