thermon statom | Washington Glass Studio

You are cordially invited to The James Renwick Alliance (JRA) Spring Craft Weekend on April 26-28, 2019 in Washington, DC.

This year, the JRA honors Michael Sherrill (ceramic), Nancy Crow (fiber), Myra Mimlitsch-Gray (metal), Michael Hurwitz (wood), and Therman Statom (glass), as the 2019 Masters of the Medium @ Spring Craft Weekend.

Therman Statom leading a JRA workshop at the Washington Glass School in 2006.

Therman Statom is a sculptor, glass artist, and painter. Born in Florida, Thermon grew up in Washington, D.C. His interest in the arts grew from a fondness of painting and he began to investigate ceramics at RISD. However, after an experimental glass blowing session with Dale Chihuly, he was soon hooked on the spontaneity of glass and its limitless possibilities. He is most notably known as a pioneer of the contemporary glass movement for his life-size glass ladders, chairs, tables, constructed box-like paintings, and small-scale houses; all created through the technique of gluing glass plate together.

Therman Statom creates one of his glass houses at the Washington Glass School in 2006.

Therman Statom creates one of his signature glass houses at the Washington Glass School in 2006.

Therman includes among his honors an Outstanding Achievement Award presented in 2008 by UrbanGlass, and a Distinguished Artist Award presented in 2006 by the James Renwick Alliance. Therman was awarded fellowship grants by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1988 and 1982 and he was the recipient of a Ford Foundation Artists Grant in 1997. Therman was made a Fellow of the American Craft Council in 1999. In November, 2015, he was named a United States Artists Fellow.

The JRA has named Therman to be one of this year’s “Master of the Medium” and will be one of the artists honored at the Spring Craft Weekend (April 26-28, 2019) – with a weekend filled with fun and adventure! Join the Masters in the Saturday Symposium as they share illustrative images of their work and discuss their notable craft journeys that frame their careers in the field. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails with the Masters just blocks away from the Renwick Gallery and bid on one of the ten auction items offered by the JRA at the Evening Soirée & Auction. Enjoy brunch and a celebration of American craft as the Masters of the Medium are honored at the historic and elegant Cosmos Club.

Click HERE for more info on the JRA Spring Craft Weekend.

The JRA is made from collectors, artists, educators, gallery and museum professionals and others who share a passion for contemporary American craft.

>The Washington Glass School celebrates its 10th year anniversary in 2011, archives and photos are being searched for the nuggets of history and indicators of the path we traveled.
We often work with the school systems and offer ways to have middle school students come to the Glass School for free for an afternoon of creating cast glass tiles – a way to outreach to the schools and integrate their courses in math, science, physics, and art with a practical and hands-on application.

Tim Tate lectures the class from Stuart Hobsen, 2003.

Way back in 2003, the glass school was located in the District on Half Street, SE (the site is now part of the outfield of the Nationals baseball stadium). One of the schools that took us up on the offer was DC’s Stuart Hobson Middle School. Part of the educational section of the class was to review a quick history of studio glass art; with an emphasis on contemporary masters. One of the students mentioned during the art history lesson that his uncle sometimes paints on glass. (Tim Tate’s response: that’s great kid.)

Glass artist Therman Statom was discussed – as he grew up in Washington, DC, and that prompted the boys in the back into giggling fits. It turned out student was none other than Therman’s nephew, Jevon. He never knew that his uncle was considered to be a master of his craft.

Therman Statom

“Chair” Circa 1992

assembled glass sculpture with mixed media

53 X 48 X 32″

The class continued, with books and art magazines pulled out to show that every issue had an article or exhibition that featured Therman’s work. Jevon was taken aback at the celebrity factor of his uncle. Jevon later wrote a nice thank-you letter to the School:

Jevon Statom’s letter dated 11/19/03:
Dear Mr Tate & Staff
I want to thank you for letting my classmates
and I come to your shop. You taught me about glass.
I really appreciate you that you did all of this for free.
I am really excited that you acknowledged my uncle, Therman
Statom. I know that he was famous, but not that famous,
especially in DC. I really enjoyed the glass sculptures that
were on display, and how to find the tinted side of
glass. You have inspired me to try glass art for a while.
Sincerely
Therman’s nephew,
Jevon Statom

Tim Tate & Jevon Statom 2003

A nice footnote to the story – a few years later, we were able to repeat the story to Therman Statom when he taught at the Washington Glass School – as part of a James Renwick Alliance Distinguished Artist series in 2006.

Therman Statom teaching at Washington Glass School 2006

Posted in art program, JRA, middle school, outreach, stuart hobson, therman statom, thermon statom

The Washington Glass School

Category Archives: thermon statom

James Renwick Alliance Spring Craft Weekend Honors Therman Statom!

History Lesson – 2003