www .glassartcanada.ca

Transcription

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CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN GLASS
VERRE CONTEMPORAIN CANADIEN
w w w. g l a s s a r t c a n a d a . c a
Le pouvoir guérisseur de l’art The Healing Power of Art
The art of Katrina Brodie,
Red Deer College &
Dale Chihuly
A publication of the Glass Art Association of Canada
Une publication de l’association du verre d’art du Canada
Autumn 2008
$10
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CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN GLASS
VERRE CONTEMPORAIN CANADIEN
18
Volume 6, Number 3
Fallr 2008
4 President’s Message/Mot de la Présidence
Cover: Jeff Goodman
Studios by Silvia Lee.
Top: Laura Donefer shares
her techniques at Red
Derr College. Right: One of
the pieces from Drifting
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14
18
21
26
28
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Leaves: Healing
Through Art.
By Brad Copping
What’s Happening
Healing Power of Art By Jamie Gray
Student Showcase: Red Deer College
Katrina Brodie By Julia Reimer
Dale Chihuly By Matthew Ryan Smith
New Products
Book Review By Robert Hawthorne
French and English translation/adaption française et anglaise Espace VERRE
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The Contemporary Canadian Glass is published
quarterly by the Glass Art Association of
Canada. Your views, reviews, opinions and
articles are welcome.
Please mail submissions to:
Contemporary Canadian Glass Magazine,
371 Bronte St. S. Unit 58
Milton Ontario L9T 3K5
www.glassartcanada.ca
The Glass Art Association of Canada is a nonprofit organizaton founded in 1983. GAAC is a
volunteer, member-run organization uniting a
glass community spread over a huge and
diverse geographical area. We offer Canadian
glass makers, students, businesses, and interested individuals, a communication network
through the publication of the Contemporary
Canadian Glass and GlassWire, our electronic
newsletter. For membership rates and application form, e-mail [email protected] or
visit the website www.glassartcanada.ca
ISSN 1203-6447
[email protected]
Sally McCubbin
[email protected]
Jamie Gray
[email protected]
Amanda McBride
[email protected]
DIRECTORS
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Brad Copping President
[email protected]
Jeff Goodman: Magazine Committee
[email protected]
Rika Hawes: Website & Scholarship Committee
[email protected]
Marcia DeVicque: Treasurer/Membership
[email protected]
Caroline Ouellette: School Liaison
[email protected]
Amanda McBride: Finance Committee
[email protected]
David Williamson e
Alberta
Khethwen Woo at
[email protected]
Saskatchewan
Jacqueline Berting
[email protected]
Manitoba
Jayne Nixon and Kathleen Black at
[email protected]
Ontario
Jeff Goodman
[email protected]
Quebec
John Paul Robinson
[email protected]
Atlantic Region
Lynne Bowland
[email protected]
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES
Myriam Legault-Monty &
Laura Sasseville - Espace Verre
Paula Vandermey - Sheridan College
Amanda Kosciuk - Alberta College of Art
and Design
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
Yukio Yamada
[email protected]
DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
Harris Media Group
[email protected]
Contemporary Canadian Glass/Autumn 2008
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE MOT DE LA PRÉSIDENCE
BY BRAD COPPING
As I sit here, on the rocks
at the edge of the water, Tangamong
Lake is calm. A slight wind farther
out is creating patterns on the surface, giving the reflection a blurry
abstract form. It is late morning and
the sun is just starting to warm this
west facing slope of tumbled stone. The small maples that line the little
creeks flowing into the bay have already acquired red and orange
colouring, but as I look across to the old fishing camp there are only
hints of colour and the dulling green tones pointing the way to the
change in season. The record rainfall this summer has kept things lush
far longer than normal, and while the water levels have been much,
much higher then last year, they are dropping. The nights are getting
cooler and the sunsets have almost reached south to the narrows.
We have the good fortune in this country to experience these cycles,
these changes, several times each year. They remind me that the
changes we experience in our daily lives are part of larger cycles and
that we can try to prepare for them and take part in them. Our glass
community is no exception to change. The deaths of Megan Kenny and
more recently Tony Lee, being the most tragic examples I am aware of.
While others have left our community to pursue different paths due to
retirement or the changing economic climate, others are forging new
directions, and starting new endeavors; Jeff Goodman Studio’s Bahai
temple project in Santiago, Chile and the evolution of Fireworks Glass
Studio into the Kingston Glass Studio and Gallery being two exciting
examples. The glass program at Sheridan College in Oakville under the
direction of Koen Vanderstukken, has undergone a complete redevelopment, with a strong emphasis on integrating theory and practice and
giving students the ability to major in areas beyond the hot shop.
Christian Poulin is also showing us strong leadership and the willingness
to embrace change rebuilding both furnaces at Espace VERRE, in
Montreal, utilizing electrically powered molybdenum elements. He has
also begun the process of leading a dedicated team of Quebec glass
artists in developing the next Glass Art Association of Canada conference to be held in May 2010. The city of Montreal has even declared
2010 the year of glass, so we should see major exhibitions in the museums and art galleries. Those of you who attended the Montreal conference in 1996, know that this will be one not to be missed. Tyler Rock’s
appointment as the new head of the Glass Program at ACAD in Calgary,
heralds positive changes to come, as did his and Julie Reimer’s term as
co-presidents of this organization.
I am still a little overwhelmed at the boots I have to fill in my role as
president, but am grateful for the amazing job they and the continuing
volunteer board of directors have done. “The work you do, if it has any
meaning, passes to other hands”, is a line from a Jeanette Winterson.
This meaningful work will also involve change. The times we find ourselves in demand it. We have the ability to examine the world from our
local environments. I believe we must get the world to see what we are
doing there.
The sun has risen further overhead and my butt is getting sore from
sitting on these rocks, time to move. I’d like to hear about the changes
you are experiencing, and the ones you would like to see. Please write
bgcopping @yahoo.ca
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Contemporary Canadian Glass/ Autumn 2008
Je suis assis
sur les roches au bord de l’eau et le lac
Tangamong est calme. Un vent léger au loin crée des motifs à la surface
de l’eau avec des reflets de formes abstraites. C’est la fin de la matinée
et le soleil commence à réchauffer l’éboulis de roches sur le flanc ouest
de la colline. Les jeunes érables, alignés en bordure des petits ruisseaux
qui débouchent au sud de la baie, ont déjà pris des tons rougeâtre et
orangé. En regardant le vieux camp de pêche de l’autre côté du lac, je ne
vois que quelques signes de couleur et une décoloration des teintes
vertes. Tous des signes du changement de saison. Les records de pluie de
cet été ont rendu la végétation plus luxuriante et plus longue qu’à l’habitude. Le niveau d’eau, beaucoup plus élevé que l’an dernier, commence à
redescendre. Les nuits sont beaucoup plus fraîches et les couchers du
soleil ont atteint le sud étroit du lac.
Nous sommes chanceux dans notre pays de vivre des changements de
saisons plusieurs fois par année. Cela me rappelle que les changements
dans le quotidien font partis des grands cycles de la vie. On ne peut
qu’essayer de s’y préparer et d’y participer. Notre communauté d’art
verrier n’y fait pas exception. Je pense que le décès de Megan Kenny et
tout récemment de Tony Lee sont des tragiques exemples de ces grands
cycles. Même si plusieurs membres ont quitté notre communauté pour la
retraite ou à cause de changements climatiques et économiques pour
suivre d’autres parcours, plusieurs se forgent de nouvelle orientation et
créent de nouvelles entreprises. Deux bons exemples, le projet du temple
Baha’ie à Santiago, Chilie, réalisé par l’atelier de Jeff Goodman et l’atelier
Fireworks Glass devenu l’atelier et la galerie Kingston Glass.
De plus, l’option verre au Sheridan College, Oakville, subit actuellement
une restructuration pédagogique complète sous la direction de Koen
Vanderstukken, en mettant l’emphase sur l’intégration de la théorie et de
la pratique afin de donner aux étudiants les outils nécessaires pour réussir après leurs études. Aussi, Christian Poulin, a démontré ses qualités de
direction et son enthousiasme pour l’amélioration lors de l’installation de
deux nouvelles fournaises électriques avec éléments molybdènes à
Espace VERRE, Montréal. Également, il a formé un comité d’artistes
verriers québécois pour préparer le prochain congrès de l’Association
canadienne du verre d’art (GAAC) qui aura lieu à Montréal du 26 au 30
mai 2010. Parallèlement, la Société des directeurs de musées montréalais a déclaré 2010 « Année du verre ». Plusieurs musées et galeries
d’art présenteront des expositions sur le thème du verre. Tous ceux qui
ont participé en 1996 au congrès à Montréal, savent que celui de 2010
sera un événement à ne pas manquer. Par ailleurs, la nomination de Tyler
Rock, au poste de directeur général du programme de verre au Alberta
College of Art and Design, Calgary, annonce des changements positifs,
tout comme ce fut le cas durant son mandat à la co-présidence du GAAC
avec Julia Reimer.
Je suis encore préoccupé par mon nouveau rôle de président puisque la
barre est très haute mais je suis très reconnaissant du travail fait par les
membres bénévoles du conseil d’administration. « Le travail que vous
faites, s’il est significatif, se transmet aux autres » est une citation d’un
roman de Jeanette Winterson que j’ai lu au début de l’été. Ce travail significatif comprend le changement puisque notre époque l’impose. Nous avons
la possibilité d’examiner le monde à partir de nos environnements locaux.
Je crois qu’il faut comprendre le monde pour savoir ce qu’on y fait.
Le soleil est maintenant au zénith et mon derrière commence à être
engourdi par les roches. Il est donc temps de bouger. J’aimerais en savoir
plus sur vos propres changements ainsi que sur ceux que vous souhaités.
Écrivez-moi à [email protected]
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WHAT’S HAPPENING & REVIEWS
Brush with Art Visual
Arts Award
The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery
is pleased to receive this year's
Brush with Art Visual Arts Award in
recognition of the Gallery's School
Programs Facilitator Project.
Since its significant expansion in
2001, the Canadian Clay & Glass
Gallery's Elementary Tour and
Studio Workshop Program have
been providing the community with
quality curriculum-based programming for over 4,900 children who
attend programs each year. Based
on popularity and steady growth of
this program and requests for concurrent "double" bookings, the
Gallery is pleased to have the
opportunity via this grant to expand
its service to the community. Such
educational programs support
school teachers in the cultivation of
arts appreciation and contribute to
the continued growth of one of the
Gallery's most successful programs.
WHAT DOES THE SCHOOL PROGRAM FACILITATOR DO? The School
Program Facilitator provides interpretive guidance and cultivates in
our young people confidence in the
interpretation of contemporary artworks. Through various multi-disciplinary activities they also promote
children's hand and eye coordination and creativity.
WHAT MAKES THIS PROGRAM
STAND OUT FROM OTHERS, WHAT
MAKES IT OUTSTANDING? The program provides a structured and
stimulating environment in which
children can actively engage in
learning and succeed outside of the
school and home, in addition the
program provides entry points for
further exploration of various subjects relating to science, history,
social science and psychology.
Children are offered an avenue for
the safe enjoyment of creative
expression, fostering the enhancement of children's self-esteem,
community awareness and social
responsibility.
The Gallery's Education Programs
will continue to provide an alternative environment to enhance social
interaction, build meaning and
spark creativity in our community.
The Visual Arts Endowment Fund,
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Brush with Art Grant supports outstanding visual artists or arts organizations in Kitchener, Waterloo, and
Cambridge. The purpose of the
grant is to support a visual artist or
arts organization for a visual art
project.
Brush with Art is dedicated to
helping the local community of
artists to work together through
partnerships and campaigns that
increase public involvement in the
arts. www.brushwithart.org
Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery.
25 Caroline street N., Waterloo
Ontario N2L 2Y5 Tel: 519-756-1882
www.canadianclayandglass.ca
The Nature of Diamonds
Against the backdrop of spectacular
jewellery and stunning gemstones, a
rich and storied history of an
extraordinary material is told. The
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is
proud to present The Nature of
Diamonds, the most wide-ranging
exhibition ever developed on the
allure of diamonds. From Saturday,
October 25, 2008 to Sunday, March
22, 2009, the exhibition will be displayed in the Garfield Weston
Exhibition Hall. At this time, the ROM
is the sole Canadian venue to
host the exhibition during its exclusive North American tour.
Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's
Park, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C6
416.586.8000
galerie elena lee
PÂTE DE VERRE
7 octobre – 4 novembre. 2008
Vernissage le 7 octobre, 2008
5-7pm
Le terme pâte de verre est
généralement utilisé pour décrire des
oeuvres moulées à la cire perdue, la
plupart du temps en utilisant pas
des poudres de verre (pâte de verre),
mais des morceaux de verre. Plus les
morceaux sont grands plus l’oeuvre
fini est transparente. Si on utilise des
poudres de verre, le résultat est
plutôt opaque. La forme originale est
sculptée en cire et un moule est
fabriqué avec celle-ci. Ensuite le tout
est chauffé pour enlever la cire (cire
perdue). Dans le vide ainsi créé, on
introduit le verre à travers un entonnoir. C’est un procédé trés long, com-
plexe et plein d’embûches, mais qui
permet au créateur la plus grand
liberté d’expression.
Irene Frolic l’utilise pour sculpter
ses “têtes”, où chaque détail, l’inclinaison de la tête, le regard, le souffle
sur les lèvres est un puissant porteur
d’émotions.
Donald Robertson est particulièrement fasciné par la capacité du verre
à retenir une forme et laisser
entrevoir une autre en même temps,
comme dramatiquement démontré
dans ses formes “Vortex”. Le
moulage à la cire perdue permet à
ce maître de réaliser les formes les
plus complexes comme ses
“casques” inspirés par la mythologie
grecque et des formes organiques
comme les “carapaces”.
Le travail recent de Carole Pilon
montre le corps humain comme
faisant part du monde organique et
soumis aux mêmes lois de mutation,
mais aussi à son merveilleux pouvoir
d’adaptation. C’est pour être capable
d’exprimer des thématiques aussi
exigeantes que Pilon s’est lancé il y
a plus de 15 ans dans l’exploration
du moulage à cire perdue.
Caroline Ouellette ancienne
étudiante de Robertson a elle aussi
dû acquérir une belle maitrise dans
cette discipline pour concrétiser ses
sculptures qui s’apparentent à des
fruits succulents, qui éclatent de
maturité et laissent couler leur nectar.
Kasia Czarnota nous emmène
dans son monde de fantaisie avec
ses robes de Cendrillion, pleines de
luminosité.
Quand on regarde la diversité
d’expressions artistiques, les riches
textures et les nuances de transparence du clair jusqu’à l’opaque, on
comprend pourquoi les artistes sont
prêt à investir des années d’apprentissage, des mois de travail et le
risque élevé de perte, pour travailler
cette exigeante technique qu’est la
cire perdue.
October 7 – November 4. 2008
Vernissage October 7, 2008 5-7pm
Kasia Czarnota - Irene Frolic – Carole
Pilon – Caroline Ouellette
Donald Robertson
The term pâte de verre, although
meaning glass paste and referring to
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glass casting using powdered glass, which
when fired is opaque, has been used commonly to describe a form of glass casting
that should more precisely be called lost
wax casting. In order not to lose transparency, glass chunks are used in place of
glass powder. The bigger the pieces, the
more transparent the final object.
As the name implies the original form is
sculpted in wax and used to create a
mould. The wax is then melted out (thus
lost wax) and the glass is then introduced
into the hollow mould through a funnel. It
is a complex, time consuming process full
of risks, but one that also allows a sculptor the greatest freedom of expression.
Irene Frolic has used it for her ‘heads’,
that in their quiet slightly inclined pose are
powerful bearers of emotions.
Donald Robertson’s massive castings
can retain one form yet reveal another at
the same time. His inquisitive mind touches upon a wide range of objects from ‘helmets’ inspired by Greek mythology, to
‘carapace’ and ‘vortex’ forms that hark
back to fossils and geological formations.
Carole Pilon’s sculpture evokes the
cyclic metamorphosis of nature, its vitality
and its infinite power of adaptation. In her
latest series she shows the human body
as part of that organic world and subject
to its transformations through time and
accident. The lost wax technique allows
her to fashion the complex shapes essential to these multi-media creations.
Caroline Ouellette’s luscious fruit-like
forms, that push forth with vitality are
unthinkable without the artist’s mastery of
lost wax casting. The same is true for
Kasia Czarnota’s flights of fantasy in her
elaborate three dimensional glass dresses.
Seeing the diversity of artistic expression, richness in texture, and enchanting
luminosity possible with lost wax casting, it
is not astonishing that artists are ready to
undergo years of training, long weeks of
work, and an ever present chance of loss,
to be able to work in this demanding discipline.
www.galerieelenalee.com
1460 Sherbrooke O., Suite A, Montréal
(Québec) Canada H3G 1K4
t: 514-844-6009
e: [email protected]
Winifred Shantz Award
The 8th Annual Winifred Shantz Award for
Ceramics and the first of
its kind, RBC Award for Glass mark a significant moment in recognizing the remarkable practices that make up contemporary
ceramic and glass art in Canada.
The Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics
has been made possible for the past eight
years thanks to the generosity and commitment of Mrs. Shantz to recognize and
continued on page 8
Contemporary Canadian Glass/Autumn 2008
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Continued from page 7
contribute to the career of ceramic
artists in this country. This Award is
one of its kind and has become a
prestigious award that supports the
recipients in their research and
career aspirations in the fields of
contemporary ceramics.
The Winifred Shantz for Ceramics
annual award presents $10,000 to
Kasia Piech to conduct research and
travel to Spain to study the paintings
of Hieronymus Bosh in the Museo del
Prado, and participate in a residency
in Italy to explore concepts of faith
and religion.
The new partnership with the RBC
added a new level of excitement to
the Award night and has provided the
opportunity to recognize an exceptional artist working in glass.
The RBC Award for Glass presents
$5,000 to Julia Reimer to travel to
Japan and research the influence of
Japanese design and culture on modern western craft. In particular, she
will examine the influence of the
Mingei Movement on vessel design
and the role of nature as inspiration
for Japanese craft design. She will be
conducting her research at the Japan
Traditional Craft Center and The
National Museum of Modern Art,
Tokyo, as well as working directly with
mentor, glass artist Masahiro Sasaki.
Julia Reimer studied glass blowing
at the Alberta College of Art + Design,
and enhanced her knowledge of
design and traditional European glass
making techniques through travels to
Scotland, Spain, France and Hungary.
Her original design and meticulous
craftsmanship have been recognized
Flightless and Featherless
Photos by Kristy Davison
Heather Konschuh is making her work and
instructing in Toronto. She received a residency at the Living Arts Centre in
Mississauga, Ontario.
“My art has been centered on an
abstraction of shapes and forms found in
my life. Growing up on a cattle and grain
farm in the countryside, nature plays a huge
part in that. My work is a reflection of my
greatest inspiration, the beauty of nature.”
“During my studies in Australia, I became
fascinated with the parrots in Canberra.
They were so beautiful to look at but sounded atrocious. Their powerful beaks are symbolized in my Flightless and Featherless
Series of tall blown vases. The spouts on
these vessels represent the curvature of
their bills while the fresh colors imitate how
brightly colored they were.”
“When I discovered glass, I had finally
found the art form that challenged me in all
the right ways; it was physical, intellectually
challenging and 3-Dimensional.”
Konschuh received her Bachelor of Fine
Arts degree from the Alberta College of Art
and Design, Calgary, Alberta. She undertook some of her studies at the Australian
National University, Canberra, Australia.
Visit her new website at:
www.konschuh.com
Top: TALL APRICOT VASE. Blown and assembled glass 6.5 x 19.7 in. $550
Above: LIME FEATHERLESS. Blown and assembled glass 9.5 x 19 in. $650
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Julia Reimer Motion Series, 2003. Blown Glass. 30 X 12 cm.
through several awards, including
the Canada Council for the Arts. In
2002, she was chosen as an Artist
in Residence at the Corning
Museum of Glass in New York state.
Her work is carried in several
Canadian and U. S. galleries and
has been exhibited in Europe.
Reimer's designs are inspired by
the landscape that surrounded her
childhood home in the foothills of
the Rocky Mountains in southern
Alberta.
The Canadian Clay & Glass
Gallery opened in Waterloo, Ontario,
in the summer of 1993 with the
express purpose of bringing a
national voice to ceramics and glass
art in this country. The 2008 awards
mark a significant moment in recognizing the development of Clay and
Glass in Canada.
The RBC Financial Group believes
it is important to give back to the
community - and that a thriving,
innovative art scene is key to the
vibrancy and health of our society
and culture. That’s why RBC nurtures
and invests in Canadian creative talent: a vital natural resource.
The Canadian Clay & Glass
Gallery has reached a significant
milestone as it celebrated its 15th
Anniversary on June 19, 2008.
www.canadianclayandglass.ca
519.746.1882
Julia Reimer Motion Series
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Portrait de famille,
un iota de différence
(Family portrait) by
Michèle Ostiguy
(Pate de verre and
encaustic)
Funny Glass
Drôle de verre
Espace VERRE celebrates its 25th birthday this Fall, and from September
25th 2008 to January 9th 2009, the gallery invites you to ‘bust your
spleen’ with its humour inspired glass art exhibition. A gathering of emerging glass artists has found distinctive ways to make us smile.
You’ll be tickled pink with the clown inspired noses made by Tanya
Lyons and Mathieu Grodet, Annie Cantin’s cosmic-comedy glasses and
Jeffery Ferrier’s irony filled skunk perfume bottle. While everybody is familiar with the expression when pigs fly, Christina Mayr has literally pinned a
flying pig to the wall with an arrow. While comic books and cartoons are
at the root of Catherine Labonté’s inspiration, you’ll be amused by the
witty scenes that she catches under bell jars. Also, you’ll be delighted to
discover Karine Demers’ phylacteries, Pascal Leclerc’s playful trucks getting ready for a race and Michèle Ostiguy’s, the junior member of this
group, strange family portrait
Furthermore, you’ll acknowledge that these glass artists have distinctive
senses of humour and that you could trust them with your eyes closed
without going astray!
The gallery is open to the public from Monday to Friday from 9am to
5pm, as well as every last Sunday of the month from 12pm to 5pm.
Regularly, you can see glass work in our studios.
Espace VERRE, 1200, rue Mill, Montréal, CANADA, H3K 2B3,
www.espaceverre.qc.ca (514) 933-6849
Espace VERRE aura 25 ans en octobre prochain et pour célébrer dans
la joie, la galerie vous invite à vous dilater la rate dès le 25 septembre
prochain, avec une exposition sur le thème de l’humour. Drôle de verre
se tiendra du 25 septembre 2008 au 9 janvier 2009, et regroupera des
artistes verriers de la relève qui ont prévu de nous faire sourire.
On y verra les nez de clown en verre de Tanya Lyons et Mathieu
Grodet, ou les lunettes cosmi-comiques d’Annie Cantin ou encore la
parfumeuse mouffette de Jeffery Ferrier. Connaissez-vous le proverbe
anglais « When pigs fly » qui signifie « Quand les poules auront des
dents » …? Eh bien Christina Mayr va littéralement épingler au mur un
cochon volant avec une flèche… Tandis que la bande-dessinée n’est
jamais loin de l’inspiration des scénettes comique servies sous cloche
de Catherine Labonté, des phylactères de Karine Demers ou des courses de camions de Pascal Leclerc. Et la petite dernière de la grande
famille des rejetons d’Espace VERRE, Michèle Ostiguy, nous présente un
portrait de famille pour le moins inattendu.
Vraiment vous pourrez constater que les artistes verriers ont le sens
de l’humour, et qu’on peut les suivre avec plaisir ! La galerie est ouverte
au public du lundi au vendredi de 9h à 17h, et le dernier dimanche du
mois de 12h à 17h. En tout temps, vous pouvez voir des artistes
verriers à l’œuvre dans les ateliers.
continued on page 11
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Robert Held’s Work Presented to
People of Beijing During
Olympic Games
The
ached
he
y of
you
Robert Held is proud to announce that Premier Gordon
Campbell presented a work of his creation to the City of
Beijing on behalf of the people of British Columbia.
“It is an honour to be a small part of this event,” said
Held. “The Olympic Games are a testament to the benefit of
hard-work, practice, determination and skill - something we
all strive for.”
Inspired by our majestic natural surroundings, Robert Held
has created a stunning piece of art glass representing our
sea, mountains and sky. "Sea to Sky" is a link to the next
Olympic Games, being held in Vancouver in 2010.
Made with 24K gold-foil mountains, a dichroic glass sky lit
by the Aurora Borealis, hand-made murrine stars and the
deft hand of an experienced artist, “Sea to Sky” is a beautiful example of what British Columbia has to offer the world.
“Soon the Olympic Games will be coming to Vancouver
and we want athletes and visitors alike to know that we will
be ready to welcome them,” said Held.
Robert Held Art Glass has been located in Vancouver, BC
for over 20 years and is Canada's largest hot-glass studio.
The piece was about 10 inches high and 8 inches diameter.
Held used glass, dichroic glass, 24K gold foil and hand-made murrine
starsto form the bowl. He repeatedly reheated the piece in between pickingup the glass, colour, gold foil and cane, while manipulating the hot piece to
form the desired effects.
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Frantisek Vizner at The Corning
Museum of Glass
Photo by John van Otterloo
The Corning Museum of Glass will
present an in-depth survey of the
work of internationally acclaimed
Czech artist Frantisek Vizner.
Opening November 1, 2008, Masters
of Studio Glass: Frantisek Vizner
traces the evolution of the artist's
work over 40 years, from his early
designs for commercial production to
his studio explorations of the modern
glass vessel.
The exhibition features 40 objects
dating from 1962 to 2003, drawn
entirely from the Corning Museum's
permanent collection. A range of
Vizner's distinctive cast and cut studio vessels – luminous, minimal,
sculptural forms – are shown alongside examples of earlier blown glass
designs for industry, many of which
utilize strong color contrasts and an
unusual manipulation of surface and
interior textures.
“This exhibition, the second
installment in our Masters of Studio
Glass series, offers a true overview of
Frantisek Vizner's achievements in
glassmaking,” said executive director
Dr. David Whitehouse. “For the first
time, all of Vizner's works that are
held in our collection will be on view
together. Masters of Studio Glass
builds on our commitment to presenting the work of living artists and
to exploring the many dimensions of
contemporary glass.”
Vizner began his training at the
Specialized School of Glassmaking in
Zelezny Brod, Czechoslovakia (195356) and then studied at the
renowned Academy of Applied Arts in
Prague. Under the repressive conditions of postwar Communist rule in
Czechoslovakia, artists working in
glass were afforded greater freedom
than those working in other media;
abstraction was considered to be
less threatening in glass, and other
decorative arts, than in painting or
sculpture. While working as a professional designer for the Czechoslovak
State Glassworks at Teplice (196267) and at the Centre for Arts and
Vase, Frantisek Vízner, 1973. Colorless,
transparent cobalt, and orange glasses;
cased and mold-blown with pickup decoration. H: 19.1 cm, Diam: 14 cm, gift
of Barry Friedman Ltd.
Crafts in Skrdlovice (1967-75),
Vizner tailored his approach to the
material to take advantage of the
specialized techniques practiced at
the glassworks. However, in some
cases, his unapproved designs were
produced without his supervision. It
was not until he left the
Czechoslovak glass industry to pursue a career as a studio artist that
he gained more control of the artistic
process; full control of his career did
not come until after the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia in 1989.
Vizner's artistic intent is best
expressed in his translucent studio
works, minimal vessels that occupy
the shifting boundary between function and non-function. These reduced
forms, with their velvety, acid-etched
and sandblasted surfaces, are characterized by crisp, articulated lines
and deep, jewel-toned colors.
“Vizner has dedicated his artistic
practice to the development of a
modern concept for the vessel,” said
Tina Oldknow, curator of modern
glass. “While the objects he creates
are based on the shapes of functional bowls, plates, and vases, we best
understand their pure and simple
volumes as non-functional, sculptural
forms.”
Masters of Studio Glass: Frantisek
Vizner will be on view November 1,
2008 - March 22, 2009. The series
will continue with a survey of the
work of American artist Richard
Meitner.
Wood-fired kiln/furnace that was a joint effort
between The Corning Museum of Glass and
Corning Community College Ceramics department, in Corning, NY. The kiln/furnace is
capable of both firing ceramics and melting
glass for glassblowing. It was lit on August 4,
2008, fed wood continuously for 24 hours, and
glass was blown on the afternoon of August 5.
The furnace was not only used to melt glass,
but also served as the glory hole. The two
organizations will fire the kiln/furnace up during the Glass Art Society Conference in
Corning in 2009 and provide demonstrations
to conference participants.
11
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Page 12
Jiri Harcuba and April Surgent Traces of Ourselves
Bullseye Gallery is pleased to present
the work of up-and-coming American
artist April Surgent and Czech engraving master Jiri Harcuba. Their pieces,
which developed out of an exciting
joint residency, will be exhibited from
October 7 - November 22, 2008 in
Traces of Ourselves.
“Life is a dialog,” proclaims
Harcuba, a “dialog with oneself as
well as others.” Through engraving,
Harcuba stretches this dialog across
history to connect the present with
the noted historical figures he portrays, his influences from philosophy
and the arts. “All my ancestors
worked with glass,” he explains, “I am
showing the relationship of prehistoric carving and contemporary art.
We are the link between the past and
the future.”
While history may offer insight into
the present, Harcuba acknowledges
that there is still a great deal of extraneous information to wade through in
the search for truth and inspiration.
“To be able not to know is the biggest
art of all,” he remarks. “The task of a
teacher is to discover the worthful.
The role of the school is to draw near
history, to discover it's greatest treasures and find inspirations for contemporary creativity.”
Fittingly, through his art, Harcuba
ends up committing himself to this
same historical record that he
depicts. “By engraving, we leave
traces,” he notes, “traces of ourselves.”
Having refined her technique in
glass engraving under Harcuba, April
Surgent has focused her own art
Photos by P. Leonard
Top: Salvador Dali, Jiri Harcuba,
2008. Fused and engraved glass.
16.125 x 16.125 x .25 inches
Left: Crossing Eurobodalla, April
Surgent, 2008. Fused and cameoengraved glass, 14.375 x 10 x 2.25
inches installed.
12
clearly on the contemporary realities
of travel and culture. “In a day and
age when travel has become a commodity,” says Surgent, “our exposure
to different cultures and places is
changing our identities, morals,
beliefs and art.”
Yet even as she looks outward, her
pieces remain very personal. As she
explains, “My work is both a record
and reaction to our global communities and life as I experience it. I keep
in mind that everything is only as I
perceive it to be, yet nothing is as it
appears. I question the way that I see
and understand myself through my
surroundings. I capture what I have
discovered to tell silent stories of
contemporary life.”
Jiri Harcuba was born in
Harrachov, in what is now the Czech
Republic, where he apprenticed in the
region's renowned engraving studios,
developing his hand at portrait
engraving and medallions. In addition
to founding the Dominik Biman
School, a traveling glass studio dedicated to teaching traditional glass
techniques, Harcuba has taught
around the world at institutions
including the Pilchuck Glass School,
the Corning Museum of Glass, the
Royal Academy of Art in London, and
the Academy of Applied Arts in
Prague. He is the recipient of the
1995 Rakow Commission from the
Corning Museum of Glass and
Lifetime Achievement Awards from
UrbanGlass and the Glass Art Society.
April Surgent has studied glass in
Denmark, the United States, and
Australia, where she graduated with
honors from Australian National
University's School of Art in Canberra.
In 2003, Surgent received a scholarship to Pilchuck Glass School to
learn cold-working and traditional
cameo-engraving techniques from Jiri
Harcuba. Her work was a Director's
Corner Selection for the e-merge
2004 competition and is featured in
the collection of the Chrysler
Museum of Art.
Bullseye Gallery
300 NW 13th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209 USA
503-227-0222
www.bullseyegallery.com
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Page 13
Message in A Bottle:
Emerging artist Bevin Tetarenko’s current body of
work Message in a Bottle was recently displayed at
the Mainspace Gallery of the Untitled Art Society
May 16 to June 7, an artist run centre in Calgary
Alberta. Tetarenko’s exhibition, Message in a
Bottle, was funded by the Alberta Foundation of
the Arts Projects Visual Art Grant.
This exhibit is based on the metaphor of a message in a bottle. The metaphor searches for truth
in a world based on theoretical conjecture exploring what is fact and fiction. Tetarenko chose quotes
from an array of philosophers like La
Rochefoucauld, Confucius, and Saint Augustine as
reference to historical ideologies.
Tetarenko’s knowledge of glass is apparent upon
viewing Message in a Bottle. Every one of the sixteen light boxes had hours of attention invested
including hand cut text, well crafted frames and
carefully slumped glass. The wall mounted light
boxes illuminate a peaceful glow reminiscent of a
computer or television screen projecting information. The glass in each box is a positive image of
a bottle, kiln slumped, creating a three dimensional form. Each bottle has its own aesthetic shape
referencing the style of the specific historical and
cultural period of the quoted philosopher. A sculpture of a glass plinth sits in the center of the room,
inside are glass bottles with messages sealed
inside.
An audio component was involved in the exhibition. As you walk around the space intimately
studying the light boxes and plinth a recording of
random crashes of breaking glass pierces the air.
It was intriguing to see the viewer’s reactions to
the unsettling sound.
This exhibition arouses an intellectual study of
philosophical theories relating to the idea that fact
and truth exist only because of the constraints of
our societal boundaries.
Special Thanks to the Alberta Foundation for the
Arts.
By Rebecca Jackson BFA
Each year, The Corning Museum of Glass, New York,
USA, conducts a worldwide competition to select 100
images of new works in glass. The selection is made by
an international jury. The New Glass Review 29 features
the pieces created between October 1, 2006 and
October 1, 2007. A total of 921 individuals and companies representing 42 countries submitted 2,600
images. Each applicant could submit three images of
work. To obtain a copy contact; The Corning Museum of
Glass. 800-723-9156.
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.cmog.org
The deadline is October 1, 2008 for New Glass Review
30. See www.cmog.org for details or contact
Violet Wilson at (607) 974-8451.
13
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Page 14
PAR JAMIE GRAY
The Healing Power
Le pouvoir guérisseur
When difficulties arise, the
temptation to crawl into bed
and pull the covers up over
one’s head can be very strong.
In those situations, the courage
required to get up and do what
is needed seems tough to dredge
up. The most dire circumstances
call for a brand of courage that can
enter the realm of the heroic. This level of bravery is
reached for by many who struggle daily, but more rare is
that extra something that drives a person to go above and
beyond their personal anguish in order to bring awareness,
encouragement, and purpose to others. This is the case
for an extraordinary glass artist, Leslie Rowe-Israelson,
who along with her sisters, Melanie Rowe and Megan
Parks, has initiated a glass and metal performance-art project as a creative response to Leslie’s battle with cancer.
The project is called Drifting Leaves: Healing Through Art.
Early this year, Leslie was diagnosed with Malignant
Melanoma Clarks Stage Three skin cancer and a malignant melanoma on her ankle was removed. Further surgery was required to repair a nicked lymph gland, which
was painful and discouraging as infection set in and healing slowed for a time. However, far from crawling under
the covers, Leslie dealt with this frightening situation in
her typical fashion. She determined to do what she could
to facilitate healing in herself the way she knows best:
through art.
The Drifting Leaves project began with the idea that small
14
glass leaves could be created which would symbolize the
peace and tranquility of the fall of leaves from their trees,
drifting about in warm autumn winds. That serene image
combats the fear and despair which can so easily overwhelm when cancer strikes. Each leaf represents rejuvenation, hope, and a time of rest. Every one also represents a
voice, a person – someone who has battled cancer.
Handcrafted leaves are being collected and attached to a
sculpted metal tree, created by artist Kevin Kratz of
Nelson, B.C. who lost his father to cancer. The significance of the tree is found in the imagery of its strong foundation and its flexibility which allows for bending but not
breaking during the damaging storms of life. This sculpture is intended to become part of a performance piece to
be shown at the Glass Art Society Conference in Corning,
New York, next June. Under the tree on the stage,
dancers will perform to Leonard Cohen’s song
“Hallelujah.” The names of those battling cancer, on
whose behalf the leaves have been made, will be read out.
At the end of the performance all but one of the glass
leaves will be handed out to the audience. The single
remaining leaf will symbolize both the strength to survive
all odds and rebirth. As this idea has grown and the word
spread, many artists have begun to participate by making
leaves on behalf of themselves or a loved one, and sending
them to Leslie to be included in Drifting Leaves. Glass
artists in groups and guilds worldwide have been caught
up by the passion of this international collaboration aimed
at healing hearts and creating awareness, and the leaves
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Page 15
of Art
de l’art
Lorsque nous devons faire face à des problèmes graves,
il est extrêmement tentant de retourner au lit et de se
couvrir la tête avec les couvertures. Parfois, il semble difficile de trouver le courage nécessaire pour affronter les
problèmes. Les pires circonstances exigent que nous trouvions un courage presque héroïque. Ce niveau de
bravoure est atteint par des gens qui doivent se battre
chaque jour. Ils ont un petit quelque chose qui les
poussent à dépasser leur angoisse pour démontrer,
encourager et donner une raison d’être aux autres. C’est
le cas de l’extraordinaire artiste verrier Leslie RoweIsraelson qui a initié avec ses sœurs Mélanie Rowe et
Megan Parks, le projet de créer une sculpture de verre et
métal accompagnée d’une performance pour représenter
une façon créative de lutter contre le cancer. Le projet
s’intitule Drifting Leaves: Healing Through Art (Les
feuilles qui s’amoncellent : la guérison par l’art).
Au début de cette année, Leslie a reçu un diagnostique
atteinte de cancer de la peau. Un mélanome malin Clark
de niveau III a été extrait d’une de ses chevilles. En plus,
elle a subi une deuxième intervention chirurgicale pour
soigner une glande lymphatique. Cela fut très pénible et
décourageant car il y a eu une infection qui a ralenti la
guérison. Toutefois, loin de se cacher sous les couvertures, Leslie a affronté cette affreuse situation d’une façon
typique de son caractère. Elle s’est déterminée à faire tout
ce qu’elle pouvait pour faciliter sa guérison en faisant ce
qu’elle connaissait le mieux : de l’art.
Le projet Drifting Leaves repose sur l’idée que de
petites feuilles en verre
symbolisent la paix et la tranquillité des feuilles qui tombent et s’amoncellent lors des
vents chauds d’automne. Une image sereine pour combattre la peur et le désespoir qui nous envahissent
lorsqu’on est foudroyé par un diagnostic de cancer.
Chaque feuille représente le renouvellement, l’espoir et le
répit. Elle représente aussi une voix, une personne qui
lutte contre le cancer. Des feuilles faites à la main sont
accumulées et attachées sur un arbre de métal sculpté par
l’artiste Kevin Kratz de Nelson, Colombie-Britannique,
dont le père est décédé du cancer. Le symbolisme de l’arbre fait référence à ses fortes racines et sa flexibilité qui
permet de fléchir sans se briser durant les tempêtes de la
vie.
Cette sculpture sera présentée lors d’une performance
au congrès du Glass Art Society en juin 2009 à Corning,
New York. L’arbre sera installé sur scène et des danseurs
évolueront sur la chanson Hallelujah de Léonard Cohen.
Les noms de ceux qui luttent contre le cancer, pour qui
les feuilles ont été créées, vont être lus à voix haute. À la
fin de la performance, toutes les feuilles en verre, sauf
une seront remises au public. Cette dernière feuille
représente la force de survie contre toute attente et la
rémission. L’idée et le message de ce projet ont été rapidement adoptés par plusieurs artistes qui ont décidé de participer à la fabrication de feuilles, pour eux-mêmes ou
pour des proches touchés par cette maladie. Des groupes
et des associations internationales d’artistes ont été
suite à la page 19
15
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Page 16
RED DEER COLLEGE STUDENT SHOWCASE
Prochaine génération d'artistes
Next Gen Artists
1
3
2
SERIES at Red Deer College (RDC) is right in the heart of Alberta. Long-time running and
ever popular for adults, SERIES Summer School of the Arts is fitted for all artists – from beginner
to seasoned pro. SERIES runs throughout July and August and offers week-long world class
instruction, hands-on experience, social and educational events.
RDC has been honoured to have Laura Donefer at RDC several summers in a row. She states
that SERIES is “one of the only places I teach anymore as it’s such a funky, small, hole-in-the-wall
secret program”. Other artists such as Leonie Norton from Australia, David Moore and Pat Keenan
were on campus for the 2008 Series Summer School of the Arts. New information for SERIES
2009 will be available in January 2009. Visit online www.rdc.ab.ca/continuingeducation or phone
(403) 342-3504 to register or receive up-to-date information.
18
4
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Page 17
5
7
6
1. Pam Armstrong
Unnamed copper-blue bowl- 2008
2 X 9 in dia.
hand blown transparent copper-blue glass
bowl with clear glass textured bits and a
cut and flared lip..
2. Pam Armstrong
Unnamed purple- yellow bowl - 2008
5 x 7inch dia.
Hand blown glass bowl Clear glass base gathered and cut using the Donefer technique.
3. Doug Jeffery
Purple Red Vase - unnamed- 2008
25h x 15 dia. cm
Strawberry glass coil basket with
entrained glass bubble. The basket was
built from hot bits dipped in strawberry
glass frit. Spaces were intentionally
opened between the coils. A second bubble of glass was inserted into the basket
and blown to size.
4. Doug Jeffery
A Study in Texture - 2008
20H x 15dia. cm
Coloured glass was overlayed and textured
with wrought iron spirals, a Japanese fish
scaler, castle nuts and a tagliol.
5. Jane Sustrik
Banana Boat Pick-Up - 2008
9h. x 4 dia. inches
Yellow colour bar picked up and vase created; red frit picked up once vase shape
started; iridescent shards picked-up then
vase shaped into design. Final movement
was pulling of the tip.
7. Jacqueline Radbourne
Blood Vessel - 2008
6h. x 2 inches
Heating a chunk of color bar and blowing
the vessel,white parts brought in as hot
bits at the end. Manipulated the bits then
put away in the annealer.
6. Jane Sustrik
Spring Ice - 2008
8h. x 5 dia. inches
clear vase created, then hot bits applied
in strips and sculpted. Some clear hot
bits had hyacinths coloured frit applied (to
create the purple colour).
19
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Page 18
Dale Chihuly's Laguna Murano Chandelier
at Museum of Glass
A pre-Christmas hand-made glass
sale co-ordinated by, and in
support of, the Glass Art
Association of Canada
Une vente pré-Noël de verre fabriqué
à la main coordonnée par et à l’appui de l'Association du verre d'art du
Canada
Why Donate?
- to promote your work
- to support GAAC scholarships
and new initiatives
- the top submission will receive a
one-year free GAAC membership
Pourquoi contribuer?
- pour promouvoir vos oeuvres
-apour soutenir les bourses de GAAC
ainsi que de nouvelles initiatives
- la donation la plus innovatrice
recevra une adhésion gratuite d'une
année de GAAC
Your promotional material will
accompany the object. To better
promote yourself. please send
business cards or contact
information.
Vos objets en verre doivent...
- ne pas dépasser 5" dans toute
dimension
- être signés
- ne pas être un bol ou un verre
- être assez solide pour supporter
le transport
Afin de mieux promouvoir votre uvre,
assurez vous d’inclure votre matériel
promotionnel.
Particulars:
- multiple submissions are
encouraged
- prices will be assigned by GAAC
- all submissions become property
of GAAC
- non-members welcome
Autres informations:
-des dons multiples sont encouragés
-les prix de ventes seront assignés
par GAAC
-toutes les donations deviennent la
propriété de GAAC
-bienvenue aux non-membres
All Submissions must be received
by Nov. 15th
Please send to Jeff Goodman
Studio
Questions contact Jeff Goodman.
We would like to hold these sales
across the country – anyone willing
to host one on please contact
Jeff Goodman studio.
Toutes les donations doivent être
reçues pour le 15 novembre
Jeff Goodman Studio
51 Cranfield Road. Toronto, ON
m4b 3h6 Canada
t. 416. 532. 8073
f. 416. 532. 8568
[email protected]
www.jeffgoodmanstudio.com
Nous voudrions tenir ces ventes à
travers le pays si vous êtes interessés
à organiser une vente dans votre
region veuillez contacter Jeff
Goodman.
Pour toutes autres questions
contacter Jeff Goodman.
SVP envoyer vos donations à:
Jeff Goodman Studio
51 Cranfield Road. Toronto, ON
m4b 3h6 Canada
t. 416. 532. 8073
www.jeffgoodmanstudio.com
[email protected]
Photo by Shaun Chappell
Your Glass Objects Must . . .
- not exceed 5" in any dimension
- be sturdy enough to endure
shipping
- be signed
- not be a cup or a bowl
The Museum of Glass presents Laguna Murano Chandelier (1996), a
majestic Neo-Baroque chandelier created by Dale Chihuly in collaboration with Italian glass masters Lino Tagliapietra and Pino Signoretto.
This immense and elegant chandelier of individually blown and
sculpted glass elements will be on display beginning Saturday,
September 14, 2008 in the Museum's North Gallery.
In September 1996, at the conclusion of the event known as
Chihuly Over Venice, Chihuly worked with Tagliapietra and Signoretto
on the glassblower's island of Murano, in an historic, week-long collaboration. Recognizing the significance of the occasion, collector
George R. Stroemple indicated his desire to acquire the chandelier.
Uncertain as to whether his home would accommodate such a monumental chandelier, Stroemple requested Chihuly design the work with
multiple components, creating flexibility in its display.
The chandelier commands approximately 1,500 square feet and
includes five separate elements-two suspended from the ceiling and
three which rise from the floor. Punctuated by opalescent flames and
festooned with fantastical sea creatures, foliate masses, mermaids
and kings, this splendid golden-green tangle glows, evoking the
Muranese lagoon.
“Laguna Murano Chandelier is significant, not only for its exquisite
beauty, complexity and scale, but also because of the story associated
with it,” comments Museum of Glass curator Melissa G. Post. “To see
such a magnificent creation that is the result of a collaboration of
three of the world's greatest living glass artists is both inspiring and
humbling. We are grateful to Mr. Stroemple for the opportunity to
bring this masterpiece to our visitors."
Laguna Murano Chandelier will remain on display through April 19,
2009.
Info Line 253-284-4750/ 1-866-4MUSEUM. Museum of Glass,
1801 Dock Street Tacoma, WA 98402
Dale Chihuly (American, born 1941) Laguna Murano Chandelier, 1996.
Glass, approximately 14 x 8 x 8 feet.
The George R. Stroemple Collection.
www.glassartcanada.ca
18
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Page 19
Healing Power continued from page 14
are drifting in.
Leslie sums up the project best: “When we
let go of our surface dressing (symbolized by
the leaves) we know deep down we will find
the strength to grow again. The leaves are
mere accessories, but they are nevertheless an
important part of the process. It’s like our hair
which we cherish, but when lost makes us feel
vulnerable, naked and afraid. But then, like the
tree, we re-grow that side of ourselves that defines us,
that makes us different from one another; and it gives us
renewed hope to carry on; to fight for survival.”
Leslie’s hope that the Drifting Leaves project is helping to
heal her and others is being realized leaf by leaf. As she
corresponds with artists around the world and grows in
relationship with them, sharing stories and offering support and care, and as she finds new leafy treasures in her
daily mail, she finds herself better able to crawl out of bed
every day and carry on. An added bonus – the people
who are making leaves are talking about how this simple
act seems to helping them find purpose and healing as
they lend a hand in bringing awareness to the cancer situations that have touched their lives. The creative spirit
takes over and, for a while, their sad thoughts are lessened. In a very short time, this project has grown from a
simple idea to an international collaboration as artists all
over the globe eagerly get involved. “Like cancer, this
project has no borders,” Leslie says. “It can touch anyone.
Anyone can be involved.”
Drifting Leaves is a beautiful instance of an idea turning
into action, of artists speaking out with a collective voice,
of craftspeople using their tools and skills to make a difference. It’s a great and encouraging example of the healing
power of art. Through this global work, glass artists are
sending a positive message about survival and support –
an embracing of friendships that begin and grow through
working together. It’s the spirit of art, and you can be
involved by creating a leaf (or two) of your own. If you
decide to participate, please be sure the leaf you make will
fit into a box no larger than 6”x6”. Apply a catch or hook
so it can easily be attached to the structure. Before mailing it, be sure to include a piece of paper with the name of
the person on whose behalf you’ve created the leaf. The
leaves can be sent to Leslie Rowe-Israelson at RR#4, 1602
– 15 Avenue, Invermere, B.C., V0A 1K4. They should be
sent no later than April 15, 2009. If you would like to
help with the costs of shipping this project to New York,
donations are welcome. If you would like to make a contribution to cancer research, that can be sent to:
Cancer Research Society
P.O. Box 4724, Station E
Ottawa ON K1S 5H9
Telephone: 613 233-9373
Toll free: 1 888 766-2262
On-line donations: www.src-crs.ca
Le pouvoir guérisseur suite de la page 15
touchés par la passion de ce projet rassembleur
pour apaiser les cœurs brisés et pour sensibiliser
le public. Les feuilles continuent donc de s’amonceler.
Leslie résume très bien le projet : « Lorsque
nous laissons tomber notre façade (symbolisé par
les feuilles), nous savons instinctivement que nous
trouverons la force de grandir. Les feuilles sont de
simples accessoires, toutefois importants au processus. C’est comme nos cheveux que nous chérissons, leur
perte nous rend vulnérable, nu et craintif. Mais comme
l’arbre, nous rebâtissons ce qui nous définit, ce qui nous
rend unique et c’est cela qui nous redonne l’espoir de continuer à se battre et à survivre ».
Leslie espère que le projet Drifting Leaves va servir pour
sa propre guérison et pour celle des autres, feuille par
feuille. C’est en communiquant avec des artistes du monde
entier, en se créant des liens d’amitié, en partageant des
histoires, en offrant du soutien, en portant attention et en
recevant de nouvelles feuilles dans le courrier tous les
jours qu’elle trouve le courage de sortir du lit et de continuer jour après jour. Les artistes qui fabriquent les feuilles y
trouvent un autre avantage dans ce simple geste en aidant
à trouver un but vers la guérison, en sensibilisant les autres
à la vie avec le cancer. L’esprit créatif prend le dessus et
pour un moment leurs pensées tristes sont adoucies.
Rapidement, ce projet a pris de l’expansion, d’une simple
idée jusqu’à la collaboration d’artistes internationaux. «
Tout comme le cancer, ce projet n’a pas de limites » affirme
Leslie. « Cela touche tout le monde. N’importe qui peut y
participer ».
Drifting Leaves est un bel exemple d’une idée qui s’est
réalisée, qui a permis à des artistes de se prononcer d’une
voix commune et à des artisans d’utiliser leurs outils et
leurs talents pour changer les choses. C’est aussi un exemple encourageant du pouvoir thérapeutique de l’art. À travers cette œuvre globale, des artistes verriers transmettent
un message positif sur la survie et le soutien, en posant un
geste d’amitié qui se forme lorsqu’on travaille ensemble.
Cela représente l’esprit de l’art.
Vous pouvez y participer en créant vous-même une
feuille (ou deux). Si vous décidez de participer, la feuille
doit entrer dans une boîte de taille maximale de 6 x 6
pouces (15,24 X 15,24 cm). Il faut aussi inclure un crochet
pour l’attacher à la structure. Avec votre envoi, veuillez
inclure le nom de la personne à qui la feuille est dédiée.
Les feuilles doivent être envoyées à Leslie Rowe-Israelson
au RR 4, 1602 – 15e Avenue, Invermere, B.C., V0A 1K4.
Elles doivent être reçues avant le 15 avril, 2009.
Vous pouvez aussi faire un don pour aider à payer les
frais de transport de la pièce au congrès du GAS à New
York. Aussi, vous êtes encouragé à faire un don à La
Société de recherche sur le cancer, PO Box 4724, Station
E, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5H9. Téléphone : 613 233-9373. Sans
frais : 1 888 766-2262. Dons en ligne : www.src-crs.ca
19
CCG fall 2008 B
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KATRINA BRODIE
CCG fall 2008 B
Page 21
By Julia Reimer
Katrina Brodie recently featured her work in a solo show at the Harris-Warke
Gallery in Red Deer, Alberta. The gallery was created after the city of Red Deer,
was awarded a Cultural Capital of Canada award in 2003. It is run by a group
of local artists, offering exhibition space to the community. Brodie is a
second-generation glass artist. Her mother, Anne Brodie has been a program
coordinator at Red Deer College for Visual Arts Programs and Series, Visual
Arts Summer School. Anne was also the co-chair of the Canadian Glass
Conference in 2000 & 2006. So, although Anne is not a glass artist, her close
ties to the Canadian glass community qualifies her as an honorary one.
When Katrina asked me to review her show this summer, I felt it would be a
good opportunity to showcase some of the work being made by emerging
artists out west. Although, Red Deer College is bustling with glass activity in the
summer, the local galleries rarely feature glass exhibitions. We often imagine
culture occurring in large urban centres yet, many glass studios and artists are
located in small towns. I often think that the populations in these communities
have little sense of the cultural richness that surrounds them. Therefore, it is
wonderful that Katrina chose to show her work in her hometown – to create
awareness of the glass treasure it possesses. In this review, I chose to
interview Katrina instead of doing a traditional review of her show. It is more
interesting to hear her words about her work, than my suppositions. Looking at
the pieces in the show, I was intrigued and the questions I posed were generated by my desire to know more about this beguiling work.
Opposite page: Top, Shard bowls. Largest, 8" by 8" by 9", the other two are 7" by 7" by 8"
Blown and Sandblasted glass, hot shard application.
Left: Homes 2: each sphere 4" round. Total piece 22" by 4" by 4".
Blown and sandblasted glass, hot shard application.
21
CCG fall 2008 B
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Page 22
Poplur continued from page 20
When did you first realize that you wanted to
work in glass?
I was taking general science at Red Deer
College (RDC) when I took a workshop from
Lisa Cerny. After another year of science and
a year of traveling, I applied to Sheridan
College.
What draws you to glass as a material?
The constant challenge and the fluidity of the
material. Also the endless possibilities of
what can be made.
Who or what were your influences as a glass
artist?
Darren Peterson is a great influence of mine
both with his keen design sense and knowledge of the business side of things. I am also
influenced by the supportive people in my
life.
What inspired you to make this work?
I’m not totally sure. Through tons of experimenting these were the
pieces that I couldn’t stop thinking about, I just had to make them. I
enjoy the process of adding coldworked parts and I also enjoy mark
making (that is what I consider my patterns rather than drawing).
There is a very pop art vibe to this work, which seems very urban, how
does this fit with growing up in a rural environment and exhibiting the
work in a rural community?
I wanted my first show to be in Red Deer so that I was contributing
back to the community that I grew up in. I think the pop art vibe is
due to the colourful nature of my style as well as the iconic imagery.
I think it relates more to my style than where I grew up.
The house motif is present in this work, this motif is very popular and
well known in the work of Therman Stanton, what does this motif represent for you?
It represents comfort to me. I think everyone needs a place to feel
comfortable. Home is very important to me, even though I have lived
in many different places – this has always been a key aspect to life.
Why are the decorative elements separated from the pieces?
I enjoy the process. The glass blowing process lends itself to making
functional work and I think that this work is a transition for me to
move from functional to sculptural.
How does working at RDC impact you as a glass artist?
It opened my eyes to the possibilities of what can be made in glass
from working with such a wide variety of artists. It was also good to
see the way different people made a living working as artists.
How did growing up in a rural environment impact your artistic vision?
There is a general lack of knowledge about fine craft in many small
communities. It sometimes feels impossible to continue compared to
22
the financial success of all of my non-artist
friends who I grew up with. It often feels like
there is a lack of acknowledgment that I too
am a professional. In terms of how a rural
environment influenced my artistic vision at
this point, is hard to define those rural influences perhaps later I will see how it has
influenced me. The source of my inspiration
is not based in nature. For me the glass
itself is a source of inspiration and the
process of making it. The inspiration for the
patterns I create comes for a process of
drawing and sketching. I will often look
through fabric books and interior design
books for ideas.
Why are you drawn to create patterns on
vessels – there exists a vessel tradition of
creating stories or conveying concepts on
everyday functional vessels or ceremonial
vessels, how does this work fit into this tradition?
I would rather create a mood or a feeling of optimism with my patterns. I think I’m drawn to patterns because they are orderly. They
make logical sense to me.
The set – up and presentation of your pieces in the show is very linear
and orderly, can you tell me the significance of this display?
It’s a small space and the set up was really based on logic. Where
people can stand and walk around the work.
Can you describe a bit of the process you use to create these images?
The images are all sandblasted in. The shards are made from plates
that I blew. I also use graals.
Can you talk the graphic, iconic images that are often abstract, why
have you chosen these images for your work?
The imagery comes from sketches that I develop over time and often
go back to after a break. It’s something that I have never really analyzed. I want it to continue coming from wherever it’s coming from. I
think the images create the feeling of comfort in me and I try to share
that feeling.
To me, this work seems to be an extension and achievement of the
work I have seen Katrina make in the past few years. It feels resolved
and the comfort in the processes is apparent. As many emerging
artists can attest, a solo show is an accomplishment. It is difficult to
create a body of work when studio access is limited and you are working a day job to pay the bills. At this issue’s press time, the Alberta
Foundation for the Arts bought 4 pieces for their permanent collection.
In Katrina’s artist statement, she expressed a desire that the pieces
bring a feeling of calm or joy to the people who encounter it. For my
part, this result has been achieved, the orderly and compact forms
convey a steady determination, a trait much in demand for an emerging artist forging a career in glass.
CCG fall 2008 B
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Page 23
Artist-in-Residence and
Researcher-in-Residence
Programs:
The Studio of The Corning Museum of Glass
has an Artist-in-Residence and Researcher-inResidence program, offering artists the opportunity to spend a month in Corning trying new
techniques in glass, enhancing their current
work, or exploring the techniques of past
glassmakers while using the immense
resources of the world's leading glass museum. Transportation, as well as room and board,
will be arranged and basic supplies provided.
For more information call The Studio at (607)
974-6467 or visit www.cmog.org.
The deadline to apply for all 2009 residencies is October 31, 2008. Interested artists
must send a CD with 10 high-resolution digital
images of their work, two letters of recommendation, a written proposal detailing what the
artist would like to do during their month-long
residency, the best month to participate (generally offered in March, April, May, September,
October, and November), and a résumé to:
Residency Programs
The Studio of The Corning Museum
of Glass
One Museum Way
Corning, NY 14830-2253
*Joint Artist-in-Residence Program with
Kohler Arts Center:
The Studio of The Corning Museum of Glass
partners with the John Michael Kohler Arts
Center for a joint Artist-in-Residence program.
Artists will spend one month at The Studio in
Corning and two to six months in Kohler Co.'s
foundry (casting iron or brass) or pottery (slip
casting clay) in Sheboygan, WI. Travel, accommodations, supplies, equipment, technical
assistance, and a food stipend are all provided. The deadline for applications is April 1,
2009, for 2010 residencies. For more information call The Studio at (607) 974-6467 or visit
www.cmog.org.
Interested artists must send 20 high-resolution digital images of their work, two letters of
recommendation, a brief (200-word) proposal
for a unified project incorporating the
resources available from both organizations, an
application, and a résumé to:
Residency Programs -orArts/Industry Coordinator
The Studio of John Michael Kohler
Arts Center
The Corning Museum of Glass
608 New York Avenue
One Museum Way,
Sheboygan, WI 53081-4507
Corning, NY 14830-2253
23
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Page 24
D ALE
The Chandeliers and other Critical Insight into his Work
T
o understand Dale
Chihuly’s re-establishment
of the decorative, we must
reflect upon the history of
his stylistic explorations
and their impact on his artistic practice.
His more recent series, Chandeliers,
combine the myriad of styles that characterize his body of work.
Dale Chihuly is the enigmatic celebrity artist heralded as the saviour of the
decorative and the rejuvenator of craft.
As part of a lengthy stylistic process of
investigation, experimentation, and
exploration, beginning from the late
1960’s, Chihuly restored the ornamental, decorative, and the embellished in
contemporary art. His perpetual reconfiguration and metamorphoses of style
continually put to question the validity
and sustenance of his work. He counteracts and justifies this with a process
of extreme stylistic evolution; taking
glass to where it has never been or
where it was never perceived to be as a
means of being the first, the best, and
the most important artist to do so. He
is credited as the man who almost single-handedly institutionalized glass as a
fine art, moving it from the realm of
craft to legitimacy and relevance.
The natural world influences
Chihuly’s thematic exploration of the
real, the false, and the sublime. As a
result, alien and foreign concepts are
introduced into his artistic practice to
underline his interests in the surreal.
Chihuly’s transformational environments examine these themes in an effort
to provide the viewer with the perfect
trademark, and his attempt to solidify
aesthetic experience. Much of his
the perfect visual experience. Immersed
recent works, typify in-your-face efforts
and exhibited in nature, botanical garto construct a visual overload. It is here dens, and urban areas like churches,
that Chihuly pushes the decorative to a
corporate headquarters, and institudisruptive and unsettling state of flux,
tions, Chihuly transforms the convenexploring unsettling and bizarre envitional environment and installation.
ronments while developing and expand- Placing his Chandeliers in the center of
ing the uncanny.
an environment inevitably creates, as
The medium of glass contains gender Chihuly suggests, a “centerpiece”
connotations. The solid state of glass is (Chihuly, Artist Statement). The
aligned with the masculine. As Donald
Chandeliers becomes a focal point of
Kuspit explains, “glass in its molten
discussion, debate, and engagement.
state…is feminine, yieldThe Chandeliers are the
ing; in its hardened state it
current result (although
Dale Chihuly is one of the
is masculine, phallic” (34). most prolific and stylistically
still in progress), of
The solidity and hardness progressive glass artists in
Chihuly’s experimentation
of the glass object can be
with neon, light, form, and
recent history. He is credited
symbolic of the molten
the surreal. In recent exhiwith igniting the advancement of glass art from the
state’s erection.
bitions, Chihuly has drawn
Moreover, in many works realm of craft to so called
on his evolving body of
of Chihuly, both the phys- 'fine art.' Born in Tacoma,
work as a source of inspiWashington in 1941, Chihuly
ical characteristics of the
ration. First, his
studied glass blowing at the
glass and its symbolic
Tumbleweeds (fig. 1) from
University of Wisconsin in the
nuances are phallic. Is
mid-1960s then attended the 2006 are an amalgamation
this an example of symof his investigation into the
Rhode Island School of
bolic male dominance
properties of glass and
Design for ceramics. Founder
over an environment or
of the Pilchuck Glass School neon seen in Glass Forest
in 1971, one of the world's
sheer coincidence? In
(fig. 2), weight and scale in
renowned glass blowing insti- the Macchia series (fig. 3),
recent works, we see
tutions, Chihuly now produces and his interest in the inefChihuly playing with
his work in a dynamic group
greater height and width,
fable or sublime. The
environment at his
pushing the phallic symmedusa-like forms that jet
"Boathouse" studio on Lake
bol to dominate its natural Union in Seattle,
out in all directions are
environment.
Washington. With many works inherently unsettling.
The Chandeliers are the fetching well over one million They force a visual overculmination of Chihuly’s
load of excess onto the
dollars (USD), Chihuly has
legitimated glass as a comstylistic metamorphosis.
viewer, reminiscent of the
parable
They are his brand, his
medium to painting.
24
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Page 25
par Matthew Ryan Smith, University of Toronto, Université de Toronto
C H I H U LY
Les chandeliers et diverses perceptions critiques de son travail
P
our mieux comprendre la
mier, le meilleur et le plus important
résurgence du style décoratif
artiste à pousser les limites de l’art verridans l’œuvre de Dale
er. De même, il est reconnu comme
Chihuly, il faut revoir l’hisl’homme qui a, presque à lui seul, institorique de ses explorations
tutionnaliser le verre du domaine des
stylistiques et des impacts sur sa
métiers d’art vers les beaux-arts et perdémarche artistique. Sa toute dernière
mis de justifier cette pertinence.
série, Chandeliers, regroupe plusieurs
Pour Dale Chihuly, le monde naturel
des styles que l’on retrouve dans
est une source d’inspiration dans ses
l’ensemble de son
recherches thématiques sur le
Dans l’histoire de l’art, Dale
œuvre.
vrai, le faux et le sublime. En
Dale Chihuly, l’énig- Chihuly est aujourd’hui recon- plus, il introduit des
nu comme l’artiste verrier le
matique et célèbre
représentations étranges dans
plus prolifique et le plus proartiste, est perçu
sa démarche artistique afin
gressiste par son style. Il est
comme le sauveur de
de souligner son intérêt pour
responsable d’avoir sorti l’art
l’art décoratif et l’initia- verrier du domaine des
le surréel. Les transformateur du renouveau en
tions environnementales de
métiers d’art pour acquérir
métiers d’art. Durant
Dale Chihuly poussent le
une reconnaissance comme
son long cheminement, beaux-arts. Né en 1941 à
spectateur à examiner ces
depuis la fin des années Tacoma dans l’état de
thématiques afin de créer une
60, de recherches, d’ex- Washington, Dale Chihuly il
expérience esthétique parpérimentations et d’ex- étudie le verre soufflé à l’uni- faite. Plusieurs de ses pièces
versité du Wisconsin au milieu
plorations stylistiques,
récentes caractérisent des
des années 1960. Par la
Dale Chihuly a restauré suite, il complète ses études efforts flagrants pour surl’ornemental, le décocharger le champ visuel. Dale
au Rhode Island School of
ratif et l’embellissement Design pour la céramique. En Chihuly pousse le style décodans l’art contemporatif à un état turbulent et
1971, il fonde Pilchuck, l’érain. Ses reconfiguradérangeant du flux habituel.
cole d’art verrier, spécialisée
en verre soufflé, reconnue
tions et ses métamorL’exploration de ces environmondialement. La production
phoses perpétuelles de
nements troublants et
artistique actuelle de Dale
styles remettent
bizarres lui permet de
Chihuly est réalisée par un
continuellement en
développer et d’accroître
groupe dynamique dans son
question la validité et le atelier « garage à bateaux »
l’étrangeté.
maintien de son travail. près du lac Union à Seattle,
Le verre comme matériau
Son côté contradictoire Washington. Parce que
contient des connotations de
est souvent justifié par
genres. À l’état solide, le
plusieurs de ses pièces ont
des recherches excesverre est associé au masculin.
été vendues à plus d’un million de dollars (USD), Dale
sives de style, lui perDonald Kuspit l’explique
Chihuly a légitimé le verre
mettant d’être le preainsi : « le verre en
d’art comme technique comparable à la peinture.
fusion…est féminin et souple, tandis
qu’à son état solide, il est masculin et
phallique » (p.34). La solidité et la
dureté de l’objet en verre peuvent symboliser l’état érectile du verre en fusion.
Toutefois, dans plusieurs pièces de Dale
Chihuly, les deux caractéristiques
physiques du verre avec ses nuances
symboliques sont phalliques. Est-ce un
exemple de la domination masculine
envers un environnement ou une pure
coïncidence ? Dans ses pièces récentes,
on perçoit que Dale Chihuly joue avec
plus de hauteur et de largeur, poussant
le symbole phallique à dominer
l’environnement naturel.
suite à la page 27
25
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Page 26
Photo by Teresa Nouri Rishel
Photo by Teresa Nouri Rishel
CCG fall 2008 B
FIG. 3: Maroon Macchia with
Peacock Blue Lip Wrap, 2007
26 x 32 x 28"in.
FIG. 1: Temperate House Tumbleweeds, 2006
Missouri Botanical Garden
St. Louis, Missouri
Photo by Shaun Chappell
FIG. 2 : Dale Chihuly in
collaboration with James
Carpenter
Glass Forest #1, 1971-1972
500 square feet
Museum of Contemporary
Crafts, New York
FIG. 4: Mercato del
Pesce di Rialto
Chandelier, 1996
8' x 5', Venice, Italy
FIG. 5: Niijima Tower, 1997
Niijima, Japan
Dale Chihuly continued from page 24
baroque. As stated before, Chihuly’s
objective is to provide the perfect visual
experience, but this visual experience is
tarnished and threatened due to the
overwhelming nature of the work. His
attempt to decorate the space, that is to
say beautify or enhance its natural
beauty, misses its destination as it
becomes so decorative it is disruptive.
Chihuly reinforces this notion by
adding an element of the alien, saying
in an artist statement, “when you hang
[the Chandeliers] in space, [they]
become mysterious, defying gravity,
becoming something you have never
seen before” (2006). His attempt at the
perfect visual experience is overshadowed by the unsettling quality of such
works that have the potential to distance themselves from the viewer.
Chihuly Over Venice established the
artist as the quintessential American
glass artist. It was also the first time
that Chandeliers were shown in such
number and scale. Mercato del Pesce
di Rialto (fig. 4) was placed in a food
26
market; a truly public sphere. The
explosive expressivity and exaggeration
of form look like no other work of glass
art. In Chihuly Over Venice, the artist
pushed the limits of the decorative, the
embellished, and the ornamental in
search of a new visual language to disperse old notions of the decorative as
sub-art or craft. To Chihuly, the success of his Chandeliers lies in “the
massing of colour… then shoot[ing]
light through them” (Artist Statement,
2006). In relation to Chihuly’s decorative, Kuspit remarks that “in fact, decorative art is often regarded as anonymous and unoriginal, it seems a product rather than a creative expression…”
(33). Chihuly counteracts this statement
as the Venice works champion the
notion of creative expression pushing
expression to the limits of visual stimulation. Here, Chihuly plays with organic forms that mimic odd fruit. Like in
nature, bright and intensely coloured
fruits are the most dangerous to ingest
into the human body. This may be
true as the visual ingestion of the work
is so overwhelming that we reject it
mentally.
Chihuly’s Chandeliers must be physically connected to the space in which
they inhabit in order to hang; this is the
trait of a chandelier. Therefore,
Chihuly’s work directly implicates and
points to the specific building it is
placed within. For Chihuly to achieve a
complete aesthetic experience; he must
use the space that surrounds his work.
Without this, the space is not enhanced
and the work looks out of place. When
Chihuly fails to take space into consideration, the work fails and becomes
incredibly vague and ambiguous like his
Niijima Tower (fig. 5) from 1997.
Chihuly’s work is most effective when
the context of the space combines with
the decorative, expressing aspects of the
work. There is a healthy balance that
Chihuly occasionally achieves as many
of the Chandeliers blast colour, form,
and scale, rendering the work disturbing and prone to failure.
CCG fall 2008 B
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Page 27
Dale Chihuly suite de la page 25
La métamorphose des styles par Dale
Chihuly culmine dans la série des
Chandeliers. Ils sont devenus sa signature, sa marque de style et sa tentative
pour réaliser une expérience visuelle
parfaite. Immergés et exposés dans la
nature, des jardins botaniques et des
lieux urbains comme des églises, des
sièges sociaux et des institutions, les
pièces de Dale Chihuly transforment
leur environnement et se démarquent
des installations conventionnelles. En
plaçant ses chandeliers au centre d’un
espace, il crée inévitablement, comme le
suggère Dale Chihuly lui-même, une
décoration centrale (Dale Chihuly,
démarche artistique) qui devient le centre de l’attention, d’un débat ou d’un
engagement. Ses chandeliers sont le tout
dernier résultat (en progrès), de l’expérimentation que fait Dale Chihuly avec le
néon, la lumière, la forme, et le surréel.
Dans ses récentes expositions, Dale
Chihuly s’est inspiré de la totalité de son
œuvre, toujours en évolution. En premier, ses Tumbleweeds (fig. 1) de 2006,
démontrent un amalgame de ses
recherches sur les techniques du verre et
du néon, ce que l’on retrouve aussi dans
la série Glass forest (fig. 2). Pour la série
Macchia (fig. 3), c’est une recherche de
pesanteur et d’échelle de grandeur
jumelée à ses intérêts pour l’ineffable et
le sublime. Les formes médusées qui jaillissent de tous les sens sont naturellement troublantes et visuellement surchargées pour le spectateur et peuvent
rappeler le style baroque. L’objectif de
Dale Chihuly, mentionné précédemment, est de procurer une expérience
esthétique parfaite, toutefois celle-ci est
ternie et même menacée par la nature
accablante de ses pièces.
Dale Chihuly essaie de décorer l’espace, de l’embellir ou de mettre en
valeur la beauté naturelle mais il n’atteint pas tout à fait son but car son sens
décoratif devient trop surchargé. En
plus, il renforce cette notion en ajoutant
un élément d’étrangeté. Lui-même a
écrit dans une de ses démarches artistiques : « lorsqu’on suspend les chandeliers dans l’espace, ils sont mystérieux,
ils défient la gravité et ils deviennent des
objets inusités » (2006). Sa tentative de
créer une expérience visuelle parfaite est
éclipsée par les aspects troublants de ces
pièces qui auraient pourtant le potentiel
de se distancier des spectateurs.
L’exposition Chihuly Over Venice a
confirmé la quintessence de l’artiste verrier américain. C’est la première fois
qu’il expose ses chandeliers en si grand
nombre et à une si grande échelle. La
pièce Mercato del Pesce di Rialto (fig. 4)
a été installée dans la poissonnerie du
même nom, un marché alimentaire central. La pièce est unique grâce à son
expression explosive et son exagération
de la forme. Lors de cette exposition,
Dale Chihuly a dépassé les limites de
l’ornemental, du décoratif et de l’embellissement en quête d’un nouveau langage visuel pour disperser les vieilles
notions que le décoratif se retrouve
seulement dans l’art populaire ou dans
les métiers d’art.
Pour Dale Chihuly, le succès de ses
chandeliers repose « sur les amas de
couleurs et la propulsion de la lumière »
(Démarche artistique, 2006). À propos
du sens décoratif de Dale Chihuly,
Donald Kuspit déclare « En fait, l’art
décoratif est souvent perçu comme
anonyme ou même banal, tout en semblant être un produit au lieu d’une
expression créative… » (p.33). Dale
Chihuly contrecarre cette déclaration
puisque les pièces de l’exposition
vénitienne poussent l’expression créative
aux limites de la stimulation visuelle. Il
joue avec des formes organiques qui
ressemblent à d’étranges fruits qui se
retrouvent souvent dans la nature. Ces
fruits aux couleurs vives et intenses sont
souvent poisons pour l’être humain.
C’est possiblement le même cas pour
l’ingestion visuelle de ces pièces. Elles
sont si envahissantes que nous les rejetons mentalement.
Avant d’être accrochés, les chandeliers
de Dale Chihuly doivent être reliés au
lieu de leur installation. C’est d’ailleurs
la particularité du chandelier. Donc, les
pièces de Dale Chihuly s’imbriquent et
font références directement au bâtiment
qui les héberges. Pour compléter l’expérience esthétique, Dale Chihuly doit
s’inspirer du lieu entourant la pièce.
Sans cela, le lieu n’est pas rehaussé et la
pièce n’a pas l’air à sa place. Lorsque
Dale Chihuly ne prend pas l’espace en
considération, les pièces ne fonctionnent
pas, deviennent incroyablement vagues
et ambiguës comme c’est le cas pour
Niijima Tower (fig. 5) de 1997. Les
pièces de Dale Chihuly sont plus efficaces lorsque le contexte de l’espace est
combiné avec le sens décoratif, pour
bien exprimer les aspects des pièces. Il
existe un équilibre sain que Dale
Chihuly atteint parfois. Par contre,
plusieurs des chandeliers sont trop tonitruants au niveau des couleurs, des
formes et de l’échelle, ce qui les rend
dérangeants et ne donnent pas l’effet
escompté.
Works Cited/Références :
Archer, Michael. Art Since 1960.
London: Thames and Hudson, 2002.
Dale Chihuly. Artist Statement
"http://www.chihuly.com/chands/statement.html"
Kuspit, Donald B., Chihuly. Seattle:
Portland Press, 1997.
Kwan, Miwon. One Place After Another:
Site Specific Art and Locational Identity.
Cambridge: M.I.T. Press, 2004.
Layton, Peter. Glass Art.
London: A & C Black, 1996.
27
CCG fall 2008 B
6/2/09
7:00 PM
Page 28
HOT STUFF
Hot Block Tools is introducing its new bench kukri, a curved heat paddle
like no other. See one in action at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seUMFZ62pAI
Hot Block Tools, 3710 Liberty Ave Pittsburgh PA 15201
412-683-1700 www. hotblocktools.com
This latest Euclid glass texturing kiln is big enough to hold the entire
production team! When it comes to kiln space for texturing, fusing or
slumping, at Euclid Kilns the sky's the limit. For more information,
visit euclids.com or call 1-800-296-5456.
Hub Consolidated Murini
Chopper
After many customer requests we
have added a murini chopper to our
equipment line. Like the rest of our
tools this chopper is rugged, efficient
and versatile. It chops square or
round murini and has an adjustable
cutting width. Cuts 2” to the smallest
cane. Contact: Hub Consolidated
690 Rt. 73 Orwell, VT 05760 USA
802-948-2209
[email protected]
www.hubglass.com
28
CBS is proud to announce another
new Dichroic glass pattern: Fusion.
This latest addition to our growing
line is an intensely colored, tightly
curved pattern and can be coated
with any color on all types of glass.
Different colors produce vastly different effects, so please visit our web
site to view additional color ideas.
For more information and to order,
please call Coatings By Sandberg at
(714) 538-0888, from 8 am to 6 pm
Monday through Friday, west coast
time, or visit our web site www.cbsdichroic.com
New! All That Glitters is . . .
Green!
New System 96® Aventurine Green is
here! Upon firing, Aventurine
Extreme springs to life with supersized flecks of sparkling metallic
flake, embedded in a luscious, rich
green. Now available from your
System 96 Retailer.
New 2008 System 96®
Catalog
His Glassworks, Inc. is pleased to
announce a new UV stabilized AntiShatter coating for glass called FlexTec. Flex-Tec is an easy to apply,
water clear two part glass coating
that will effectively shatter-proof your
glasswork. Unobtrusive and virtually
invisible from a distance, Flex-Tec will
hold your glass art together if it
should ever break from impact. While
the glass will still break, Flex-Tec will
hold the piece together and prevent
any glass shards from flying away
from the impact point. Please take a
look at our videos demonstrating
Flex-Tec at:
http://www.hisglassworks.com/blog.
Flex-Tec is exclusively available from
His Glassworks, Inc. 91 Webb Cove
Road, Asheville, NC 28804. 828254-2559 or
800-914-7463.
www.hisglassworks.com
A brand new System 96 product catalog has just rolled off the
presses! The 16-page full-color catalog contains photographs of over
500 glass products for the warm &
hot glass arts, as well as stunning
samples of finished artwork by some
of the industries finest crafts
people. Get your free copy of the new
Catalog from your Art Glass
Supplier today or order it online at
system96.com.
Microwave Kiln
This is a chamber specially formulated to allow you to fuse glass in a
microwave oven! And in as little as 3
minutes. Chamber at 2.75" is a perfect size for fusing jewelry and such.
Come on in and try ours!
Price is only $129.99, and exclusively available at Fantasy In Glass,703
The Queensway, Toronto, Canada,
M8Y 1L2 (416-252-6868/
Canada-wide-1-800-841-5758)
CCG fall 2008 B
6/2/09
7:00 PM
Page 29
ORNAMENT
Lyndal Osborne: Sept. 21 to Nov. 16, 2008
Osborne has, for almost four decades, collected,
ordered, classified and studied the natural world
around her, taking elements from it before incorporating them into her artwork. The selected objects
include shells, seeds, plants, and rocks. Fabricated
items such as discarded wires, computer remnants,
and industrial discards are also added to create
Ornamenta, an installation that connects landscape
and memory.
Christine Davis: Sept. 21, 2008 to Jan. 25, 2009
Davis’s work engages and extends feminist investigations in contemporary practice; her work addresses the conception and representation of the body. In
"Lens", she presents the viewer with a dress-maker's
judy from the 1970s made out of blown glass. This
installation evokes associations of how clothing
defines one's identity and position within society.
Michele Lapointe: Sept. 21, 2008 to Jan. 25,
2009
Lapointe’s "Contes Muets/Silenced Tales" includes
glass pillows decorated with many small images of
Alice in Wonderland borrowed from John Tenniel's
illustrations. Other components include distorted
portraits of Alice inspired by photos taken by
Fall Exhibitions www.canadianclayandglass.ca
Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) and Victorian doll
imagery. The works comment and reflect on "silent
tales" and the secrets that children hold close to
them.
Tanya Lyons: Sept. 21, 2008 to Jan. 25, 2009
Lyons combines clear glass with natural objects to
reflect moments and emotions. She utilizes glass as
a carrier or shell, placing natural objects within it to
add colour, texture and a sense of familiarity. Her
lavishly decorated dresses evoke the realm of imagination. These sculptures encourage our fantasies to
wear them and thus make them functional. Image:
Tanya Lyons
Ted Goodden: Nov. 23, 2008 to Jan. 25, 2009
Goodden’s fairy tale "Glory Boy" is about balance,
"how to become a useful person, and not lose the
childlike qualities we value in ourselves and others."
According to Goodden, glory traps are those things
that suck the wonder out of everyday life. Similarly
through stained glass, he argues, "We see things by
light, but we don't see light itself, however, stained
glass can trap the light and break it up." Goodden's
stained glass windows and drawings narrate the
journey of the main character, Gert.
Above left: Lens
Christine Davis 2008
(blown glass)
Above: Contes Muets
et Alice Michele
Lapointe 2006.
(Glass, copper-plated,
photo collage, glass
screen, computer,
screen created in collaboration with Pavel
Cajthaml). Left: “In
Between Here And
There Tanya Lyons
2001. (hot worked
glass) 7h x 9w ft.
29
CCG fall 2008 B
6/2/09
7:00 PM
Page 30
BOOK REVIEW
Glass of the Alchemists
By Corning Museum of Glass
Richard Price - Editor
SBN: 978-0-87290-169-8
2008, 356 pp. Hardcover
An Alchemist’s Lab
and Oratory. Note, the
alchemist is shown praying
in front of his “oratorium.”
30
This publication accompanies the exhibition Glass of the
Alchemists: Lead Crystal-Gold Ruby, 1650-1750 at The
Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, June
27, 2008 to January 4, 2009. About half the book is a
detailed catalog of 117 objects that appear in the exhibition. The book also includes a collection of glass fragments from archeologicial excavations in Amsterdam.
Alchemy is the forerunner of modern chemistry.
Alchemists’ chief aim was the transmutting of the baser
metals into gold. They were a strange group. There
were some serious scientists who strove to improve the
various technological processes of their time. They had
a lasting impact on such technologies as metallurgy and
medicinals. Some had the knowledge and experience to
advance the melting of glass. “The new recipes that
enabled the production of lead glass, chalk glass and
gold ruby were made possible by the new focus on
experimental science,” reports David Whitehouse,
Executive Director, The Corning Museum of Glass.
This book introduces leading figures in the development of the new glasses of the Baroque age. The first
two chapters introduce the concept of alchemy in the
17th century and its relationship to artisans. Five contributions trace developments in European glassmaking
and advances made by alchemists/glass technologists.
These achievements were beyond the means of common glassmakers.
Glass of the Alchemists is aa result of eight principal
authors; Dedo Von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk is curator of
European glass at The Corning Museum of Glass,
Colin Brain is a private researcher who has been studying the history of drinking glasses for 40 years, Olga
Drahotova is former curator in chief of the Dept. of
Glass and Ceramics at the Museum of Decorative Arts
in Prague, Paul Engle is a researcher of the writings of
Antonio Neri, Werner Loibl is the former director of
Spessart-museum, Germany, Martin Madl is curator of
glass and ceramics in the Prague National Museum,
William Newman is professor of the history of science
at Indiana University, and Pamela Smith is professor of
history at Columbia University.
Glass art has a rich history. This book educates us in
the outstanding improvements in glass making in the 17
century in Europe.
The Glass of the Alchemists can be purchased through
their GlassMarket - via phone 800.723.9156 or online
at http://glassmarket.cmog.org/. The cost is $59.95 plus
tax and shipping.
CCG fall 2008 B
6/2/09
7:00 PM
Page 31
CCG fall 2008 B
6/2/09
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Page 32

www .glassartcanada.ca

Transcription

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