A newly-launched online treasure trove of knowledge on Venetian glass is a breakthrough

FILED UNDER: Book Report, Education, Museums, News

If there were a skills test in glassblowing, the ultimate exam would probably be flawlessly executing a 17th- or 18th-century Venetian goblet. In Venice, those that reach the pinnacle of skill in this form (and who have achieved full technical knowledge about glassblowing) are recognized with the title “Maestro,” but, here in the U.S., the highest award is when a member of the small pantheon of American glassblowers such as a James Mongrain would be impressed enough with your finished “cup” to say “Hey! You’re really good!”

"Circular Object One" by Daniel Clayman, 2003

Tuesday February 9, 2016 | by managingeditor@glassquarterly.com

The Studio at Corning celebrates its 20th birthday, announces 2016 residencies

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Education

This May, The Studio at The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) will celebrate its 20th birthday. Founded in 1996, The Studio plans to highlight the milestone with a slate of special events including an exhibition, an online commemoration, and an open house. Entitled "Celebrating 20 Years of The Studio," a special exhibition will take place on the West Bridge of the museum, and will feature the work of artists who have taught classes or held a residency at the Studio over the past two decades. Meanwhile, inside The Studio, a display will showcase work created by artists who taught at the first-ever summer session in 1996. The celebration will culminate in an open house on May 26, featuring a giant glass cupcake create by John Miller. CMoG’s 2300° live glass blowing event and the ribbon cutting for the seventh annual GlassFest will also mark the anniversary.

Sunday February 7, 2016 | by Andrew Page

In Memoriam: Jim Norton (1957 - 2016)

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Education, In Memoriam, News

James "Jim" Norton, who died unexpectedly on January 28, 2016, at the age of 58, was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, where he studied art and glassblowing, and where he built his career as a glassblower and educator. After studying at the Alberta College of Art + Design (ACAD) in Calgary, and the Pilchuk Glass School in Stanwood, Washington, he worked as a glassblowing instructor at ACAD ifrom 1986 until 2014. Norton also led summer workshops at Red Deer College from 1986 until 2005. When not teaching, he could usually be found working in the studio. He assisted in developing Skookum Glass in the 1980s, and opened the Double Struggle Studio in 1985 with Marty Kaufman and continued running the studio with Barry Fairbairn.

Wednesday January 13, 2016 | by Andrew Page

Perry Price leaving American Craft Council to run the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Education, News

After four years as director of education for the American Craft Council, Perry Price is departing from the Minneapolis-based non-profit to take over as executive director of the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. In his new role running the 15-year-old nonprofit visual arts center with a mission of advancing "education about the process, product and history of craft," Price is charged with growing the Texas craft center into an organization with a national profile. He is slated to start in the new position on February 29, 2016.

Tuesday December 22, 2015 | by Andrew Page

HELP WANTED: Toyama City Institute of Glass Art seeks coldworking professor

FILED UNDER: Education, Help Wanted

The Toyoma City Insitute of Glass Art, which has been offering 2-year certificate programs in glass at the basic and advanced levels since 1991, is looking for a professor or associate professor of coldwork for a two-year contract, which may be renewed. The Ideal candidate will have a fine art degree in glass, experience as an artist or in higher-education, and bring at least 10 years of coldworking experience. Applications must be received by January 29, 2016. The position begins on September 1, 2016.

Wednesday November 18, 2015 | by Andrew Page

CURIOSITIES: MIT’s Peter Houk interviewed about unearthed 1957 glass time capsule

FILED UNDER: Curiosities, Design, Education, Events, News, Video

Even before construction of the new nanotechnology lab at MIT has been completed, the facility is already yielding unexpected discoveries. Workers digging into the campus near Building 26 unearthed a sealed glass time capsule that had been buried in 1957 by students and their famous MIT professor Harold Edgerton (1903 – 1990), best known for his strobe photography that froze splashing liquid or the impact of bullets and explosions. The flameworked capsule stuffed with paper and scientific samples bears clear instructions not to open until 2957, or 1,000 years from its time of burial. In an official MIT video, director of collections Deborah Douglas talked about what remains enclosed in the sealed capsule. Whether it will be opened or not is unclear from the video.

Tuesday November 10, 2015 | by Sia Lenaburg

YaYa Center for the Arts readies for its first fundraising auction in new home on Friday

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Auction, Education, Opening

UPDATED: November 12, 2015 Of all the cities I've visited, New Orleans is the most human — the most alive. The city of New Orleans is a lot like a person, someone who is full of life, yet who has suffered and survived. A person with a story to tell, which undoubtedly begins and ends with an obstacle that has been overcome. Driving up to the YaYa Arts Center in Central City New Orleans, I was taken aback by how “new” the architecture of the buildings appeared. Construction had just been completed, and the shiny new center is surrounded by other new infrastructure, which, explained Lesley McBride, YaYa’s events and special projects manager, is the result of economic growth of the Central City neighborhood where the new YaYa is located.

Vesna Jovanovic. "Elisabeth Morrow," 2014, 24"x36," Gouache, Ink, Watercolor, Graphite, and Colored Pencil on Paper

Friday November 6, 2015 | by Sia Lenaburg

EXHIBITION: Medical glass takes center stage at Chicago’s International Museum of Surgical Science

FILED UNDER: Curiosities, Education, Exhibition, Museums

Advances in glass technology have paralleled the development of modern medicine since Anton van Leeuwenhoek's breakthroughs in optical lenses and microscopes in the 17th century began to unravel the mysteries of blood flow, yeasts, and the how small parasites can affect human health. Glass instruments in medical science are directly or indirectly responsible for a substantial number of the improvements the world has seen in health and health care, and glass participates in forwarding expansion of the human lifespan. Just how indispensible the material is to the medical field is brought home in an exhibition currently on view at the International Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago, a great detour for those in town for the big SOFA art fair this weekend. The GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet recently interviewed Collin Pressler, curator at IMSS, to discuss the museum’s take on how glass is both an historical and aesthetic display of beauty and purpose.

Wednesday November 4, 2015 | by Andrew Page

HELP WANTED: Royal College of Art seeks new Head of Glass & Ceramics Program

FILED UNDER: Education, Help Wanted, News

The Royal College of Art, located in the Kensington area of London, is seeking a new head of its Ceramics & Glass Program, which is unique in only offering graduate-level studies. Masters and doctoral students at RCA are pursing glass and ceramics from different perspectives, including as product designers and individual artists, but all are driven by a desire to achieve material understanding. Reporting to the college's dean of the "School of Material," the successful applicant to head the program will be in charge of the academic direction, research, and resources allocations of the program and its staff, according to the official job posting. Key qualities sought are business acumen and creative thinking to help bolster the program's prestige as a venue where creativity, science, and technology meet.

Hot Shop Heroes instructor Conor McClellan guides a student through the beginning steps of the glassblowing process.

Friday October 2, 2015 | by Lindsay von Hagn

EXHIBITION: Museum of Glass unveils work made by soldiers and veterans in therapeutic program

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Education, Exhibition, Museums

Recently opened at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, the exhibition “Healing in Flames” features work produced by the spring and summer 2015 instructors and students of the museum’s "Hot Shop Heroes: Healing with Fire" program, an educational project to offer glassblowing and art-making experiences to soldiers and veterans. The exhibit showcasing this life-changing program will remain on view through March 2016.

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.