Save The Date! May 14th is the proposed date for Washington Glass School Open Studio Tour! Many of the surrounding art studios and galleries will be participating! We will follow health protocols – and it will be great to see all in real life! Come and see what’s new and what has been shaking at the studio!
Category Archives: mount rainier
Get Mom Something Glassy for Mother’s Day! (@ Washington Glass School Open Studio May 13th)
If you plan on spoiling Mom on Mother’s Day -whether she likes it or not, here are some gift ideas that will appeal to her. (Remember: Glass is always the Perfect Gift).
Come to the Gateway Arts District Open Studios on Saturday, May 13th from noon til 5 pm and interact with the artists, see their work, and explore their studios, during this annual event. Even better – bring Mom with you and make a day of it! Treat mom to some creative items that she’ll love. (Just be prepared to explain the artwork’s meaning, because — moms.)
The Washington Glass School will be celebrating our sweet 16th birthday this year – be sure to stop by and see works by the artists and instructors. Washington Glass School artists – with work as diverse as their backgrounds – work together because their unique visions have helped build a new direction for glass sculpture.
Tim Tate’s work was featured at Art Miami.
Michael Janis received the DC Mayor’s Arts Award 2016.
Erwin Timmers’ sculpture was part of a recent international exhibit.
Trish Kent’s glass was singled out as “most engaging” by Washington Post critic Mark Jenkins.
Veta Carney’s Pâte de verre sculptures charm everyone.
Supa-star Audrey Wilson knows what Mom likes.
Chip Montague has been busy!
2017 GATEWAY OPEN STUDIO TOUR
Saturday, May 13, 2017, 12-5pm
After Party, 5-8pm 39th Street Gallery & Brentwood Arts Exchange at the Gateway Arts Center
Get Ready For Spring Gateway Open Studio!
2017 GATEWAY OPEN STUDIO TOUR
Saturday, May 13, 2017, 12-5pm
Welcome to the DMV region’s largest-of-its-kind arts celebration and festival—Gateway Open Studios Tour. Come to the Washington Glass School and see what the artists and instructors have been working on!
Come to the Spring 2017 Gateway Open Studio where you’ll have behind-the-scenes access to studios, galleries, cultural centers, and performance spaces throughout the Gateway Arts District in Prince George’s County! Besides the Washington Glass School – other studios will be open, including Otis Street Arts Projects, White Point Studio, Jackson Jarvis Studios, Orange Door Studios, as well as the studios of Alonzo Davis, Robert Devers, Alec Simpson and more! 2017 marks Washington Glass School’s 16th birthday – and there will be lots to see!
Erwin Timmers cast recycled glass sculpture 2017. Photo by Pete Duvall
Coming Soon – Gateway Arts District Open Studio Tour!
.jpg)
Mark it down! On May 11, 2013, from Noon til 5:00 pm, make plans to spend some time at the Washington Glass School.
Gateway Arts District presents its 9th Annual Open Studio Tours – one of the best events in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area!
This event showcases the many professional artists representing nearly every visual arts medium. You’ll have access to art galleries, studios, cultural centers and performing spaces throughout the Prince George’s County Gateway Arts District (a vibrant cultural scene spanning Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood and Hyattsville).
 |
| Gateway Arts District starts along the Eastern Ave border to DC. |
The event is free and open to the public. Close to 140 individual artists will participate to make an exceptional event.Come to the Washington Glass School in the part of Gateway known as “Artists on the Tracks” and see the works of the Glass School artists and next door Flux and Red Dirt Studios.
This year’s tour features a guided shuttle bus tour of select studios, live performances at Joe’s Movement Emporium, and an exhibition opening at the 39th Street Gallery.
Washington Glass School
Open Studio
Saturday, May 11, 2013
3700 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Washington Glass School Open Studio / Holiday Sale
>
 |
| Come out of the cold to where its warm (glass)! |
The Washington Glass School invites you to our Holiday Open House, Saturday, December 15th, 2012, opening around Noon, through 5:00pm on Saturday.
 |
| Works by superstar artist Tim Tate will be available. |
The artists and instructors of the glass school will be exhibiting artworks. From the small child to the serious art collector, the Washington Glass School Holiday Open House has something for everyone’s taste.
 |
| Beautiful works by Syl Mathis will be on exhibit and for sale! |
 |
| Get yourself a Sean Hennessey – his work is hot, hot, hot! |
 |
| Metal artist Chris Shea will be there with his stunning forged iron work. |
We invite the community to and experience a unique DC area arts venue. Adjacent studios – Red Dirt and Flux Studios will also be open – a great chance to see whats going on in the Gateway Arts District!
 |
| Check out Nancy Donnelly‘s colorful artwork. |
Also – this might be your last chance to get glass before the end of the Mayan Calendar. – the perfect gift since “Glass is Forever”.
Holiday Open House & Sale
Saturday, December 15, 2012, from Noon til 5 pm.
Washington Glass School
3700 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Trawick Prize Winners Announced
>
 |
|
| “Just Not Enough” By Dave D’Orio; scooter, found objects, glass syringes, silvered glass water jugs |
Bethesda Contemporary Art’s Trawick Prize is 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 $14,000 in prize money to selected artists and features the work of the finalists in a group exhibition. The 2012 exhibition is at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD, and it runs through Sept 29th. The public opening reception will be held Friday, Sept 14 from 6-9 pm in conjunction with the Bethesda Art Walk.
Baltimore artist Lillian Bayley Hoover was awarded “Best in Show” on Wednesday, Sept 5 at a special reception that named the winners of the Trawick Prize. Hooverwon $10,000 for her oil painting based on a photograph of a scale model Pergamon Altar in the ancient Greek city of Pergamon, in modern day Turkey.
 |
| “Feeder 301” By Dave D’Orio Artwork photos by AnythingPhotographic |
Mount Rainier artist Dave D’Orio won second place for his mixed media glass sculptures. David frequently uses found objects, blown glass and industrial materials to crate symbolic imagery. He uses duplication, repetition, and an emphasis on material to evoke the feeling of factory mass-produced objects and of hyper technology. Dave’s imagery is a mix of the metaphoric, absurd and ironic and possesses an enviable ability to attract and repel the viewer. Dave does not explain every element in his sculpture – he says he likes viewers to draw their own conclusions about the “possible purpose and unstated problem the artwork would address“.
When asked about what receiving the Trawick Prize means to him, Dave said ” My work can be seen as “challenging” and its not what most people think of as beautiful – its really great to have my work seen in this prestigious setting; to also have it awarded is incredible”.
 |
|||||
| Dave D’Orio in his studio. Photo by AnythingPhotgraphic |
David is the executive director of DC GlassWorks, a glass blowing facility in Hyattsville, MD. His work has been shown at Artomatic in Crystal City, the Marlboro Gallery of Prince George’s Community College and last year was part of the Arlington Arts Center Solos. At this past Artomatic, the James Renwick Alliance gave Dave’s installation sculpture its ‘Award of Recognition’.
The 2012 Trawick Finalists included:
Lillian Bayley Hoover, Baltimore, MD; David D’Orio, Mt. Rainier, MD; Dean Kessmann, Washington, D.C.; Hannah Walsh, Richmond, VA; Skye Gilkerson, Baltimore, MD; Nate Larson, Baltimore, MD; Joshua Wade Smith, Baltimore, MD; Diane Szczepaniak, Potomac, MD
Congratulations to the 2012 Winners!
1st Place, $10,000 – Lillian Bayley Hoover, Baltimore, MD
2nd Place, $2,000 – David D’Orio, Mt. Rainier, MD
3rd Place, $1,000 – Dean Kessmann, Washington, D.C.
Young Artist Award, $1,000 – Hannah Walsh, Richmond, VA
 |
| Carol Trawick with David D’Orio and Catherine Leggett. Photo courtesy Bethesda Urban Partnership |
The 2012 Trawick Prize jury included Dawn Gavin, Associate Professor in Drawing and Foundations at the University of Maryland, College Park; B. Kelly Gordon, Associate Curator at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.; and N. Elizabeth Schlatter, Deputy Director and Curator of Exhibitions at the University of Richmond Museums, Virginia.
Photos from WGS 9th Anniversary Open House
>
Washington Glass School’s 9th anniversary party was a great event! Hundreds joined the artists and instructors celebrate – the event started with a parade complete with marching bands and the Mayor of Mount Rainier – Melinda Miles – greeting everyone.
The open house was lots of fun – the artists showcased their work, torchwork demos were held, with a collaborative artwork piece was made by the lampworkers during the day. 
Mayor Miles opens the parade – complete with marching bands, clowns, and politicians – (which is which?)
A view of one of the studios during open house.
Tim Tate chats up visitors to the school.
Alison Sigethy exhibits her eco-art.
David and JoAnn Pearcy set up glass jewelry. Valerie Hassett and friend viewing Kirk Waldroff’s cast glass prints.
Robert Kincheloe demos on the torch.
Jessica Beels discusses her sculpture.
The party gets into full swing- put yer hands in the air – woop! woop!
The next Washington Glass School Open House is in December – mark your calendars now!
Washington Glass School 9th Anniversary Open House
>
This May marks our 9th year providing some of the highest level glass/metal/sculpture classes in the region. We will join the Gateway Arts District‘s Open Studio Tours as part of the annual Mount Rainier Day festivities. This year is the Mount Rainier, MD centennial – so this will be a big event for the area!
The Glass School anniversary and open studio is one of our favorite events, from the Mt Rainier Day parade in the morning to the huge selection of art and craft from our instructors, associates and studio artists. Please join us – and visit the surrounding incredible ceramic studios and other art studios that are also open as part of the celebration!
Music, Art, Food, Demos, FUN!
May 15th, 2010
3700 Otis Street
Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Noon -6 pm
Washington Post article
>
The August 8, 2009 weekend edition of the Washington Post newspaper Real Estate section had an article on the Washington, DC suburb of Mount Rainier, MD.
Post writer Jim Brocker enthused about the area being “something special”, with the “bungalows, large lots and tree-lined streets” with mentions of the Washington Glass School as one of the arts centers located in the “artist’ haven”. Combined with a large color photo taken inside the glass school, showing Michael Janis coldworking a class project by UK artist Stephen Beardsell as proof of the specialness. 
Photos by Jim Brocker / Washington Post
For the article in its entirety – click Here
Glass School has its Ducks in a Row
>
An odd day – working at the glass studio on Sunday – perfect day -nice & quiet. A neighbor comes to the door – asking if the ducklings under my car are mine. Sure enough, there are 5 baby ducks cowering under the car. In the middle of the decidedly un-pastoral Mount Rainier, MD. No mother duck in site. No body of water in sight – except for the open sewer run-off ditch.
We decide that we should capture the ducks and release somewhere more appropriate – along the bay. The neighbor said that she has raised ducks before, and would take care of them until they were older and could fend for themselves.
A stint of running around trying to capture the ducklings (who run much faster than you might think) and they were all rounded up. What an usual Mother’s Day at the Glass School (& how typical). 