WGS Co-Director Erwin Timmers is interviewed by Vicki Schneider in the hot-off-the-press issue of Glass Art Magazine. Erwin talks about his unique technique and if he shares his intellectual property or if he guards his glass secrets. Read his interview in the March/April issue of Glass Art Magazine. Photos by Pete Duvall.
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!
Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council (PGAHC) features artwork by artists of the Washington Glass School in “Arts’tination” – their newest art space dedicated to supporting local artists and curating immersive creative experiences – located 162 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD.
Featuring works for sale by Washington Glass School artists: Erwin Timmers, April Shelford, Vibah Bhatia, John Henderson, Patricia De Poel Wilberg, Trish Kent, and Diane Cabe – check them out!
The Process: Public Art – “Essential Connections”
Washington Glass Studio (WGS) –J-Sol Apartment Complex, 4000 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA
Jefferson Apartment Group with Mitsui Fudosan America developed the Arlington, VA corner site formerly home to the sports bar CarPool into a 22-story, LEED Gold-certified high-rise called J-Sol, with residential units atop ground-floor retail and parking. Working with Toronto, Canada art consultant Oni-One Sourcing owner Paula Fleck, the preliminary designs were initiated in April of 2019, well before the pandemic lockdowns. Different concepts for both design and location of artwork to enhance the new J-Sol residential development were presented to the client.
Framing the corner location of the new plaza at Fairfax Drive and North Quincy St. in Arlington, VA, the sculpture is made of almost 100 individual hand cast glass panels set into a bold geometric framework of acute angles that references the sculptural qualities of the new J-Sol building. The sculpture defines the location and creates a new sense of place with the layering of color, light and shadow. Merging architecture and design with their signature material, glass, the overall presentation of the sculpture is aimed to reflect our modern society and urban space.
The varieties of techniques and layers of colors provide complex visual experiences is part of the works’ aesthetic pleasure.
The inspiration for the Arlington public artwork, “Essential Connections” is how much our world has changed. The artwork draws inspiration from our attempt to find new and innovative ways to reach out and connect with each other.
As WGS Co-Director Tim Tate noted of the work: “…Our goal was to create something memorable out of daily patterns of coming and going home.” The rainbow mix of colors – each a strength unto itself – is much more powerful in combined with others. The color palette itself references nature in its yellows, blues and greens, the sun, the water and sky, the grass and trees. Stylized elements of nature will be incorporated into several the crafted glass panels – emphasizing our renewed awareness of our environment.
The artwork’s dynamic shape forms a translucent cornerstone of sorts – inviting all into the plaza for walking, sitting, and all manner of activities conducted in the park. The new artwork help create a place for people to enjoy, feel connected and remember. Using the timeless fundamentals of light and color to define the space we made a vibrant backdrop to define the area with exuberance and life.
The public response has been immediate – during installation many passerbys came up excitedly to the sculpture – wanting to take “selfie shots” at Arlington’s newest landmark.
Project Details:
Location: 4000 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22203 (N Quincy St & Fairfax Dr)
Washington Glass Studio Public Art Team: Michael Janis, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Christina Helowicz.
Structural Steel: Criss Brothers
Number of Glass Tile Insets: 97
The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) new fall class schedule includes a trip to Washington Glass School!
The CCBC offers classes to the public that are designed to enlighten and offer social and cultural enrichment. Led by knowledgeable glass collector Howard Cohen, the CCBC will hold a tour of the Washington Glass School on November 16, 2021.
It will be the Best Class Ever. The more you know!
Please welcome Washington Glass School’s new Studio Coordinator – Christina Helowicz!
A graduate of Salisbury University, Christina brings a new vitality and freshness to the Washington Glass School. She has an impressive background in coldworking and casting, as well as teaching. She will be working at tweaking the School’s glass program soon!
Artists Erwin Timmers & Michael Janis will present an online ‘zoom’ presentation that will be part of the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass (AACG) Online Education in Art Series – “Demystifying Public Art.”
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.
Mark your virtual calendars! August 22 Open Studio Tours goes ONLINE! See what the artists in the Glass School have been doing over the past months! 
This weekend’s pâte de verre class was a great success!
Instructor Teri Swinhart (Bailey) demonstrates how to apply color frit powder into specific areas for the class.
Pâte de verre is a kilncasting method that literally means “paste of glass”. The general premise is to mix frit granules with some sort of binder such as gum arabic, then apply the glass to the inner surface of a negative mold.
Teri Swinhart demonstrates proper frit application.
The Pâte de verre students made plaster molds in which they would cast the glass.
Lively discussion on ways to kilncast glass sculpture was explored by the class.
The students all loved the process and can’t wait til the firings are out of the kilns.
The DMV’s best and freshest media-specific artwork gallery – WGS Contemporary – will be at AQUA Art Fair in Miami>
WGS Contemporary’s mission is to contribute to thinking about art, new media, technology, and social issues through an open access forum, one that will facilitate contemporary and innovative projects worldwide. In that process WGS Contemporary aims at exposing the cutting edge work of artists working the new media frontiers of art. This year, WGS Contemporary will be one of the featured galleries at the prestigious Aqua Art Miami international contemporary art fair.
Steve Wanna “Myths of Creation”
Aqua Art Miami, which opens with a VIP Preview on Wednesday, December 4 and open to the public December 5 – 8, has become the premier destination for prominent collectors and art aficionados to procure works by young, emerging and mid-career artists. Throughout the years, Aqua Art Miami has continued to solidify itself as a completely unique art fair, consistently staying true to its signature relaxed yet energetic vibe. The 15th anniversary edition features 60 international exhibitors showcasing fresh new works, and set in the intimate exhibition rooms that open into a beautiful courtyard, all within a classic South Beach hotel.
WGS Contemporary will be showcasing works by artists: Teri Bailey, J Jordan Bruns, Michael Janis, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers and Steve Wanna.
1530 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139