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Penland School of Crafts, Inspired: Life In Penland's Resident Artist and Core Fellowship Programs, cover. courtesy of Penland School of crafts

Wednesday March 8, 2017 | by Hailey Clark

BOOK REPORT: Penland publishes a lavish celebration of its unique residency program

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Book Report, Education

In many words and pictures, Penland School of Crafts' new book, entitled Inspired: Life In Penland’s Resident Artists and Core Fellowship Programs, tells the story of this North Carolina craft center's mission and artist outcomes through the voices of its staff and 32 of the artist residents. These voices share their positive experiences during their time in residency, whether it was for 8 months or the uniquely long 3 year fellowship, and how they benefited from the institution's educational and residency programs. Over the course of 192 pages, this new coffeetable book delves into the history of Penland, first founded in the 1920s (it established its first glass program in 1965), and the core reason for its existence: to provide the perfect balance of solidarity and isolation for upmost creative growth. This hardcover book, according to Penland executive director Jean McLaughlin on page 8, "aim[s] to acknowledge the remarkable near-fifty-year history of these two programs and begin to document this history through the stories of participating artists."

Inside the Denver gallery, billed as the "flagship" location of Tansey Contemporary.

Tuesday March 7, 2017 | by Andrew Page

Santa Fe’s Tansey Contemporary opens new “flagship” location in Denver, Colorado

FILED UNDER: Announcements, News

When Jane Sauer Gallery, a Santa Fe outpost for ambitious art from craft materials including glass, was acquired by Jennifer and Michael Tansey in 2013, the Denver-based couple renamed it Tansey Contemporary but maintained relationships with most of its artists. Today, the Tanseys have opened the doors of a second, larger gallery space at 1743 Wazee Street in Denver, Colorado, which they are referring to as their "flagship" and headquarters where the owners will direct an "international expansion." Although this might sound overly ambitious given the challenging economy for work in glass, keep in mind that the gallery's co-owner Michael Tansey is also the chairman and owner of Art Miami, LLC, which runs not only the biggest Art Basel Miami Beach satellite fair each December but several other important art fairs in the New York and Palm Beach markets. The Santa Fe location will remain open on Canyon Road.

The cover of GLASS: Virtual, Real scheduled to be published in Fall 2016.

Tuesday March 7, 2017 | by Andrew Page

BOOK REPORT: Contributing editor William Ganis on reviewing Koen Vanderstukken’s scholarly work

FILED UNDER: Book Report, Print Edition

The back-page "Reflection" essay in the newly published issue of GLASS: The UrbanGlass Art Quarterly (Spring 2017, #146) is dedicated to an in-depth book review of a new scholarly work by Koen Vanderstukken, an artist and head of the glass program at Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada. The GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet talked with the reviewer — the magazine's contributing editor William Ganis, who is also the chair of art and design at Indiana State University — about his assessment of this major new work.

James Mongrain with his 2016 Arcobaleno Series.

Thursday March 2, 2017 | by Awura Barnie-Duah

EXHIBITION: James Mongrain celebrates the glory of Venetian glassblowing at the Museum of Glass

FILED UNDER: Artist Interviews, Exhibition, Museums, News

Towering, taut, and ornate, 130 exquisitely blown glass works are currently on view at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, where they will remain through October 15, 2017. These are the fruits of a four-year collaboration between master glassblower James Mongrain and patron and prominent collector George R. Stroemple. Organized into four groupings entitled the Adriatico, Atlantis, Poseidon, and Arcobaleno series, the works result from Mongrain's extremely disciplined approach to traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques, and represent his response to the more than one hundred 19th-century Venetian glass objects in Stroemple's collection, which are also displayed in the exhibition. This show is an homage to the traditions that inspired Mongrain to devote his career to mastery of the techniques and aesthetic rules of this historic high-water mark for glassblowing skill.

Marita Dingus, Cage Glass Girl, 2016. Mixed media. H 28 1/2, W 9, D 4 in. courtesy: traver gallery, seattle

Wednesday March 1, 2017 | by Gabi Gimson

OPENING: Marita Dingus seeks solace from political upheaval in mixed-media works at Traver

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Exhibition, New Work, Opening

Mixed-media artist, Marita Dingus, will exhibit her most recent body of work at Seattle’s Traver Gallery beginning March 2. "The Gathering" will feature figurative sculptures made from discarded materials—an aesthetic for which Dingus has come to be known, but this exhibition will also include some of her largest-scale work to date. Dingus takes inspiration from African tribal art, particularly the bristly Nkondi sculptures of the Kongo people. Nkondi sculptures are anthropomorphic figures traditionally used to summon spirits for the purpose of correcting and healing social strife.

Apple claims its exterior glass cladding represents the "world's largest curved glass panels." courtesy: apple

Thursday February 23, 2017 | by Andrew Page

ARCHITECTURE: Glass plays lead role in new state-of-the-art Apple headquarters by Foster + Partners

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Architecture, Design, Video

Apple employees will be moving their desks to the much-anticipated new headquarters, Apple Park, sometime in April, according to a company press release, even though the construction process on the Santa Clara Valley, California, facility won't be complete until fall 2017. Billed as one of the world's most energy-efficient buildings thanks to its massive rooftop solar array and a natural ventilation system that is projected to need no heat or air conditioning 9 months of the year, the massive ring-shaped central building designed by Foster + Partners also claims to have the world's largest curved glass panels, which clad the space-ship like structure in seamless sheets of silica. Over 12,000 people will eventually occupy the new complex when it's fully occupied. The main building alone will provide 2.8 million square feet of space.

Kazuki Takizawa, The Minimalist, 2015-2017. Blown glass sculpture. courtesy: the artist

Thursday February 23, 2017 | by Hailey Clark

OPENING: Kazuki Takizawa takes on weighty topic in upcoming solo exhibition at major craft gallery

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Exhibition, New Work, Opening

UPDATED: 05/16/2017

The cover of GLASS: Virtual, Real scheduled to be published in Fall 2016.

Tuesday February 21, 2017 | by Andrew Page

GLASS Magazine gets a new look, rolls out redesign in celebration of 40th anniversary of UrbanGlass

FILED UNDER: Announcements, News, Print Edition

The Spring 2017 edition of GLASS: The UrbanGlass Art Quarterly (#146), on its way to newsstands and subscriber mailboxes, sports a new look. Completely redesigned in honor of the 40th anniversary of its parent, UrbanGlass, the new issue features an updated graphic style with fresh type treatments, more abundant white space, and an increase in photographs of individual artists as well as their work. It's the first major update to the magazine's design since 2003 and reflects the keen insights of the magazine’s longtime art directors, Stephanie and John Stislow, who for more than a decade have been honing the visual presentation of articles by some of the top arts writers to illuminate their critical insights.

Tobias Klein, Virtual Sunset II, 2013. Installation. courtesy: the artist

Tuesday February 21, 2017 | by Hailey Clark

The 2017 lineup of Pilchuck artists in residence links up with the theme of each summer session

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Education, News

A mix of artists, designers, and new-technology innovators have been invited to travel to the remote Stanwood, Washington, campus of Pilchuck this summer as part of the glass school's annual artists-in-residence program. These residents will explore how glass might dovetail with their own artistic vision, and will be assisted by highly-skilled glass gaffers. In the process, their presence is designed to act as a creative catalyst for the unique mix of students who come together each summer, drawn by this legendary school's unique approach to exploring expression and artistic exchange through the material of glass. Since being named permanent artistic director of the program in 2013, visual artist and educator Tina Aufiero has designed each summer's program, and she selected this year's artists in residence and instructors. (For an in-depth profile of Aufiero, see the Winter 2016-17 edition of GLASS (#145).)

The glass art museum in Ebeltoft, Denmark, will showcase emerging talent in juried exhibition. courtesy: museum website

Friday February 17, 2017 | by Gabi Gimson

Danish glass museum exhibit to feature “Young Glass” competition finalists

FILED UNDER: Announcements, Award, Exhibition, Museums, News

On June 10, 2017, the Glasmuseet Ebeltoft in Denmark will open an exhibit of work by the finalists in its fourth Young Glass competition. Since it was initiated by this museum of glass art in 1987, the juried once-a-decade competition has strived to promote and reward emerging talent in the medium. Four cash prizes totaling €42,000 (approx. $45,000 US) and two artist residencies will be awarded to the winners.

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.