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Wednesday January 27, 2010 | by Andrew Page

Book Report: Before the Studio Glass movement, there was Andries Dirk Copier
FILED UNDER: Book Report, Design
If the story of Studio Glass is a tale of liberation from the factory, then the life and career of designer and sculptor Andries Dirk Copier (1901—1991) is a case-study of this transition. A lavish newly-published book by German publisher Arnoldsche titled Andries Dirk Copier: Ideas in Glass, Unica and More chronicles the experimental work of a designer for Leerdam Glass Factory in the Netherlands who pushed aesthetic and technical boundaries first within the factory system, and later in collaborations with the emerging Studio Glass artists who were reshaping the field.

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Tuesday January 12, 2010 | by Andrew Page

Book Report: Gillian Hulse’s beginner kiln-forming guide takes a coloring-book approach
FILED UNDER: Book Report
The just-published book Kiln-Formed Glass: Over 25 Projects for Fused and Slumped Designs (St. Martin Griffin, $24.99) by British illustrator and glass artist Gillian Hulse offers novice students 25 glass projects that range from panels to plates to jewelry. Each project is clearly explained with before and after pictures, a step-by-step description, a list of equipment and materials needed, and a technical discussion. The book briefly (perhaps too briefly) touches on cutting techniques, kilns, kiln furniture, annealing, and the essential tools for the kiln-forming process. While Hulse does a very good job at articulating these simple projects through clear descriptions and quality photographs, the focus seems to be on hand-holding so that a beginner can duplicate her designs rather than encouraging creative expression.

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Glass: The UrbanGlass Quarterly, a glossy art magazine published four times a year by UrbanGlass has provided a critical context to the most important artwork being done in the medium of glass for more than 40 years.