sgrafitto | Washington Glass Studio

Janis & Tate @ Toronto’s Sandra Ainsley Gallery

Posted on July 26, 2022 by admin |

Michael Janis & Tim Tate at Toronto’s Sandra Ainsley Gallery June 4 – July 30, 2022

Toronto, Canada’s famed Sandra Ainsley Gallery present the narrative glass artworks by WGS Co-Directors Tim Tate and Michael Janis. The show, titled “One Story is Not Enough” featured works by each artist as a solo, and a number of their collaborative wall murals.

Michael Janis’ imagery in frit powder is reflected in the gallery’s piano surface.

When Michael Janis and Tim Tate met, almost 20 years ago, they discovered a shared fascination of narrative sculpture- one that seeks to arrive at an image that is both unflinchingly candid in physical representation and psychologically evasive. Working together, they are interested in the simultaneous read of an immediately recognizable image that asks the viewer to linger over history and meanings that unfurl more slowly. Mark, line and material become an extension of touch in the act of representation. The relationship of hand to subject, negotiated through the material, can elicit a response of both visual and tactile.

“The Poetry of Everyday Objects” by Michael Janis & Tim Tate, 2021; Size:6H x 6W’; Cast Glass

With these confines they create work in many techniques, but if you stand slightly back and see their history a huge thread of interconnected stories weave through their work from day one. The beauty comes into focus and the viewer sees the edges of a world not dissimilar to this one, but so much more thoughtful.

Detail – “The Poetry of Everyday Objects”, Michael Janis & Tim Tate

They present this glimpse into that alternative world, seemingly unstuck in time somewhere between past and future.

Tim Tate, Lenticular series, 2022, each panel 41″H x 41″W, lenticular prints

Sandra Ainsley Gallery
The Warehouse
100 Sunrise Avenue, Unit 150
Toronto, Ontario Canada M4A 1B3

Posted in 21st century glass, 21st century sculpture, figurative art, fine art, fullbright scholar, fused glass imagery, glass art, glass frit powder imagery, glass sculpture, glass show, imagery in glass, kiln-formed glass, kilncast, michael janis, mike janis, narrative glass, painterly glass, sandra ainsley gallery, sgraffitto, sgrafitto, Tim Tate, top glass artist, twenty first century glass, twenty first century sculpture, united states, فن الزجاج الجديد, 美国玻璃艺术家 | Tagged canada, toronto

Chicago S.O.F.A. & Habatat Prime Art Fairs Opens Oct 31st!

Posted on October 26, 2019 by admin |

The Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair in Chicago is the premier gallery-presented art fair dedicated to three-dimensional art and design. SOFA Expo returns to Chicago’s Navy Pier for its 26th Edition from Thursday, October 31st through Sunday, November 3rd.

SOFA Expo at Chicago’s Navy Pier

Habatat Prime location: 1023 S. Delano Court East, Chicago, IL 60605

For the 2019 event, something different and exciting will be happening, and all are invited! Michigan’s Habatat Galleries will have a presence at the Sofa Expo at Navy Pier (Habatat Sofa Booth: A34 & A32) and also will have a separate exhibit titles “Habatat Prime” – a pop-up gallery located nearby in Chicago’s Printer’s Row neighborhood in the South Loop. (About 3 miles from Navy Pier). The gallery will have 7500 square feet of display spacing offering incredible contemporary glass. Habatat will also have a live auction of masterworks at the space as well on Friday night! The popup space will be free & open to the public during the week – from 10am til 6pm Thursday, Oct 31, 2019 to Sunday, Nov 3, 2019. The auction

WGS artists Tim Tate and Michael Janis will have work at the art fairs – both as individual artists and as collaborative artists for works that blend the artistic oeuvres.

Tim Tate has been busy for the past few months!

Tim Tate’s narrative kiln-cast glass is always incredible.

Tim has a number of works at both Navy Pier SOFA and at Habatat Prime pop-up space in Printers Row. Besides his own work, Tim has created collaborative work with artist Lucy Lyon and with WGS’ Michael Janis.

Tim and Lucy created “Neo”- a sculpture that combines Lucy Lyon’s figurative work with Tim’s evocative endless mirror sculptures – resulting in sculpture that has an exquisite haunting quality – referencing the Magic Realism artwork by George Tooker and Paul Cadmus.

Tim Tate & Lucy Lyon collaborative sculpture work “Neo” calls to mind highly detailed, realistic settings invaded by something too strange to believe – the definition of “Magic Realism”.

Michael Janis has new works in his signature “sgrafftio” (frit powder drawing) technique. His works are much more expressive and colorful – and sure to command attention at Habatat Prime.

Michael Janis, “Inner Dimensions”, kilnformed glass powder imagery; at Habatat Prime popup exhibit. Photo by Anything Photographic

Michael and Tim collaborated on a commanding artwork installation titled “All That Is Solid Melts Into Air” – a 9 foot wide by 6 foot high wall sculpture – consisting of 42 separate bas-relief plaster molds, 12 sgraffito glass powder drawings, 12 lost wax glass castings and 4 months to produce this spectacular and monumental work.

Michael Janis creates imagery from crushed glass powder in his signature “sgraffito” technique.

Tim Tate & Michael Janis, “All That Is Solid Melts Into Air”

Detail of “All That Is Solid…” showing the dimensional qualities of the narrative glass installation by Janis & Tate.

The pop-up show will also feature a special auction event –

HABATAT’s 24th MASTERWORKS AUCTION – An auction of 42 studio glass works

November 1st, 2019 7:15 pm

Auction Preview 11:00am Thursday October 31st and Friday November 1st from 6:30 – 7:15 pm at Habatat Prime.

Hope to see you there!

Posted in "washington glass studio", habatat galleries, s.o.f.a. chicago, sgrafitto

Smithsonian Museum Curators Visit Washington Glass School

Posted on September 21, 2019 by admin |

Smithsonian Renwick Museum Curator-In-Charge Nora Atkinson is compelled to touch the artwork by Michael Janis and Tim Tate on her visit to Washington Glass School.

Nora Atkinson, Curator-in-Charge of the Smithsonian Renwick Museum and Robyn Kennedy, Smithsonian Renwick Chief Administrator pay a visit to the studio to have a look at the new collaborative glass installation by Tim Tate & Michael Janis.

Artist Michael Janis talks about the process and inspiration that he and artist Tim Tate used to make the stunning, collaborative artwork.

The two Renwick Museum leaders wanted a preview of the work titled, “All That Is Solid Melts Into Air” before it heads up to Chicago as part of Habatat Prime pop-up exhibit that is part of SOFA Expo in a few weeks (Oct 31-Nov 3).

Artist Erwin Timmers points out the features of his thoughtful glass sculptures to SAAM Curator Nora Atkinson and Chief Administrator, Robyn Kennedy.

And a walk thru of the Washington Glass School looking at the artists work – what great way to spend a spectacular Friday in DC.

Michael Janis describes his sgraffito glass technique to Smithsonian’s Robyn Kennedy and Nora Atkinson as they tour the work on exhibit.

Posted in fused glass, glass art, glass sculpture, glass wall, mike janis, navy pier, renwick gallery, s.o.f.a. chicago, sgrafitto, smithsonian, smithsonian american art museum, sofa chicago, sofa expo, twenty first century glass, united states, warm glass, washington DC, washington glass school, Washington School of Glass | Tagged habatat prime, nora atkinson, robyn kennedy, saam

Arts & Healing at Inova Schar Cancer Institute

Posted on July 9, 2019 by admin |

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 Center made in kiln-cast glass.

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.

Posted in architectural application glass, kiln fused glass, kiln-formed glass, Lillian Fitzgerald, michael janis, mike janis, narrative glass, painterly glass, process, Public Art, recognition award, sgraffito technique, sgrafitto, shanti norris, smith center, smith farm, studio glass, twenty first century glass, стекло искусство новое, فن الزجاج الجديد, アメリカのガラス芸術, 玻璃艺术

Washington Post Reviews Michael Janis Solo @ Littleton Gallery

Posted on October 8, 2016 by admin |

The Washington Post published the following review of Michael Janis’ solo show “Echoes of Leaves and Shadows” being exhibited at the Maurine Littleton Gallery through Oct 15. Art critic Mark Jenkins describes Michael’s skill as “extraordinary. Jenkins also enthuses that Janis’ glass artwork combines “the stateliness of stained-glass windows with the vivacity of pop art”. Have a read of the full text below:

Michael Janis. “Radiance,” 2016, glass, glass powder imagery, steel; on view at Maurine Littleton Gallery. (Michael Janis/Maurine Littleton Gallery)

By Mark Jenkins October 8, 2016

Michael Janis

If Michael Janis worked with pencil or charcoal, his draftsmanship would be impressive. But the D.C. artist draws photorealist portraits with pulverized glass, placing the powder exactly with tiny tools. Which is extraordinary.

Most of the pieces in “Echoes of Leaves and Shadows,” at Maurine Littleton Gallery, include depictions of pretty young women. These gamines, who might be ballerinas or French New Wave stars, are rendered in granulated black glass fused by heat to clear glass sheets. The pieces aren’t just black-and-clear, though. Janis overlays and underlies patches of translucent colored glass, and often adds such 3-D glass elements as butterflies or flower petals. Aqua and orange are common in this array, among other hues. In one picture, an abstract yellow-green swirl contrasts the subject’s slightly darker green eyes.

Janis employs many variations, slicing faces into three equal parts or contrasting them with panels of textured glass. There are ceramic busts garlanded with glass leaves, and portraits embellished with near-opaque peacock- or dark-blue circles. The latter combine the stateliness of stained-glass windows with the vivacity of pop art — half medieval cathedral, half 1960s Vogue.

Michael Janis: Echoes of Leaves and Shadows On view through Oct. 15 at Maurine Littleton Gallery, 1667 Wisconsin Ave. NW. 202-333-9307. littletongallery.com.

Posted in american glass, art, art glass, contemporary artwork, contemporary craft, fused glass imagery, kiln-formed glass, mark jenkins, michael janis, mike janis, scraffito, sgraffitto, sgrafitto, washington post

Penland School of Craft Auction Features Michael Janis’ “Flying In Place”

Posted on July 15, 2015 by admin |

Michael Janis, “Flying in Place”, fused glass powder imagery, steel, silver, 24″ x 7″

With less than one month to go until the 2015 Penland Benefit Auction, Penland, the national center for craft education located in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains featured Washington Glass School co-director Michael Janis and his artwork “Flying in Place”. Below, Michael Rogers, Professor of Imaging Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology, describes Michael’s work and his process. “Flying in Place” and many other works of glass will be up for bidding at the 30th anniversary of the Penland Benefit Auction this summer. You can now view all of these works online in the 2015 auction catalog.

“Michael Janis is an exceptional visual artist, an innovator, and a master of the technique of fusing with glass powder-essentially ‘painting with glass on glass.’ It takes years of trial and error for an artist to achieve fluency in an area of artistic endeavor where one must charter unknown territory to make discoveries unique to themselves. Through skill, vision, tenacity, and dedication, Michael has created a strong and clear voice with the material that is truly his own. Certainly painters would envy Michael’s ability to orchestrate translucency, opacity, and transparency in tandem with chromatic diversity to achieve depth in the two-dimensional plane. However, Michael is much more than technically adept.

Michael Janis, “Flying in Place”,glass, glass powder imagery, silver, steel, 24″dia x 7″ The frit powder imagery is presented as distorted in the front-on viewing, and the distorted image is viewed un-distorted in the reflection of the silvered glass cylinder.

“After all, Michael is a storyteller, an artist who draws simultaneously upon the past, present, and future to develop the content of his work. Through memory, awareness, and intuitiveness, one could say Michael evokes meaning in his work. With Flying in Place, we are presented with a stunningly beautiful and fascinating piece of poetic narrative. Metaphorically rich in associations, this work preserves its mystery while engaging the viewer’s curiosity. In the end, Michael’s intense ability with material and technique allows him to transcend these aspects of making to communicate his intention directly. Michael’s genius is in suspending reality and creating an illusion one can get lost in. In this way, he captivates the viewer.

“When I see this work by Michael Janis I think that here is a mature artist, an artist at the top of his game.” – Michael Rogers

Please join the Penland Benefit Auction on August 7 and 8, 2015.

Join Penland’s event page to stay up to date on the latest auction news and stories.

Absentee bidders can register by clicking this link. For reservations, please contact Jackie Head at 828-765-2359 x 112 or auction@penland.org.

For more information about the 2015 Annual Benefit Auction, click here to visit Penland’s auction website or call 828-765-2359 x 112.

Posted in michael janis, michael rogers, mike janis, penland auction, penland school of craft, scraffito, sgraffito technique, sgraffitto, sgrafitto, 玻璃艺术

American Craft Magazine Features Washington Glass School Artists

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Chip Montague |

Check out American Craft Magazine online.

The April/May issue of American Craft Magazine is now out – within the sheets of the magazine – or at the ACC website, one can see familiar faces names and artworks.
The magazine cover lists the contents: Fossils, Claws, Fur, Chicken Legs, Fangs, Fungi, Spider Eggs and Twigs – so clearly, the magazine is all about WGS.
Marc Petrovic’s beautiful blown sculpture “Not The Brightest Bulb” is featured with an article by Glen Adamson, from London’s V & A Museum, that asks if craft can connect the viewers more to nature.

Great article by Glen Adamson on the rise of technology and the disconnect with nature.

“Mermaids Past Their Prime”photo by Pete Duvall

Tim Tate is also featured in the article by senior editor Julie Hanus, titled “More Than Human“. Julie’s article is a fun look at how artists create human/animal imagery to create compelling insights to who we are. His featured work, one of his pieces from his eries ’21st Century Sideshows’ – a mixed media reliquary titled “Mermaids Past Their Prime”. Daily Art Muse blog author Susan Lomuto was the starring actor for the video portrayal of a chain smoking world weary faded maid.

Other glass artists – Martin Janecky and Anne Wolff‘s works were in an article about Habatat Galleries upcoming 41st International Glass Invitational, which opens April 24. The Michigan gallery will have a concurrent exhibition, titled “eXpose,”at that time that includes works by our Sean Hennessey.

Getting a big spread of 8 pages, Michael Janis is profiled by Rebecca Ritzel.

Forget “Being John Malkovich” – the American Craft Magazine article is about “Becoming Michael Janis”!

sgraffito on glass, scraffito, glass frit powder drawing

photo by Robert Severi

Rebecca talks with Michael and uncovers his past life as an architect in Australia, and how, in a short amount of time, became one of leading ‘sgrafitto’ glass artists in the world.

If you get the subscription for the magazine – it should be delivered in the next few days. If you want it online – you can get the digital subscription to the magazine HERE.
Or – run right out to the newstand and demand your copy – AT ONCE!

Posted in american craft council, american glass, contemporary art glass, habatat galleries, julie hanus, marc petrovic, rebecca ritzel, sgraffito technique, sgrafitto