As the CEO of Artful Home, I have tried several new things over the past few years to help the company grow, to be healthy, and to serve and understand our customers and artists better.

 

When I introduced apparel into the Artful Home mix, my belief  was that there was a large group, a "tribe", perhaps, of women interested in dressing with style, with artfulness, and with individuality.   I believed that great design and style were not about age nor trends nor about model-like figures.  I believed this because I was already a member of that tribe.  And I knew that there was a parallel tribe of artist/designers who were designing exactly the kinds of pieces which resonated with "us" but who were little-known outside of small boutiques and craft fairs. 

 

And so we cautiously added a few artist-made pieces into our offer and the response was overwhelming.  Then we added a few more.  And a few more.  And now today we have a full collection that seems to be really striking a chord for many women.  I correspond with many of our customers, and I get to hear what they like and dislike.  It thrills me no end to learn of their excitement - and of their mistakes, which we work to correct.

 

The new Summer 2012 collection is live today online.  Of course we would love it if you took a look, as we also chose not to mail a catalog in order to save a few trees.  Drop me a line and let me know what you think.

 

lisa.bayne@artfulhome.com

 

Pantone called Tangerine Tango "The Color of the Year". And while many fashion companies are pointing out this glorious color this spring, and we have been feeling a bit giddy about it ourselves, the sight of this color, as presented by Mother Nature, is perhaps our favorite presentation of all.

Sent from my iPad

So often, glassblowing is thought to be a men's art.  Here, from the mouth of Shawn Messenger, comes a touching ( and proud) story of passing on a tradition from mother to son. 

I am a glass artist.  I am also a wife and mother. I would like to tell you a story about
being a mother. I always tried to create an environment for my children where they
could express their ideas and thoughts. They spent many hours at our studio doing
various projects which included learning to blow glass. The school that they went to had
a great art program and expression was very important in all facets of their learning. My oldest son, Ian, decided to study ceramics with a local potter when he was a senior. He was thrilled with learning this new skill and found that he loved being the center of attention when he finally had to display his creations. He came home one day months after this exploration and announced that he was going to study ceramics in college. 

 

Now, my husband and I have never tried to push our children into art or any kind of career. We wanted them to do anything they felt was important to them but I was sure somebody would want to do glass! I could not help myself and responded " Ian, I think that is really great but as I look around I see a glass furnace, ovens and pipes. I really don't see any potters wheels or kilns. All of this could be yours, but that's okay...you should do what you want...no pressure."

 

In the Fall Ian went to the Rochester Institute of Technology to study Art and major inceramics. He loved it but a funny thing happened. The glass studio was next to theceramics studio and Ian had to walk past it on a regular basis and the lure was just toomuch to resist so he would go in to watch the kids blow glass. Ian would see that theywere doing something wrong and he would show them the proper way. Eventually thekids would call him into the studio to help and he could no longer resist. Ian called hometowards the end of the second semester and announced he was changing his major toglass (yes!).

 

Ian graduated from RIT in 2010 and is now working for The Corning Museum of Glass
blowing glass on Celebrity Cruise lines ships. He is on his third tour and has been to the
Caribbean twice and the Mediterranean once. He plans on working the summer in
Corning as a Master glassworker and then off on anther cruise in the Fall. Oh, and by
the way, son #2 Zachary is majoring in Graphic design at Bowling Green State
University and he minors in glass. Life is good and Mom and Dad are proud!

We asked artist Nick Kekic about glassmaking, and ended up hearing about so much more, including something which touched us as Mother's Day approaches.

As a third generation glassmaker, I actually have a dearth of stories that relate to working in glass with my father and grandfather.  I wish there were some romantic tales of family secrets, formulas and techniques shared in front of the furnaces between generations.  There were no long discussions and debates at the holiday table about the difference between art and craft, what is beautiful and worth making or how to stay relevant in the marketplace.  My father died when I was 12 years old and had gotten out of glassmaking some years earlier.  My grandfather passed maybe 15 years later, not long after I re-discovered the material and my personal connections to it.  Now I have been working in glass for twenty years, more than half my lifetime and mostly without them.  I've managed in that time to find my own voice with the material.  Doing craft shows affords me the chance to meet all kinds of people.  One of my biggest joys comes when I meet someone that recognizes my unusual last name and realizes he or she knew my father more than 30 years prior.  Perhaps he was a classmate or colleague of my fathers or this person collected early studio glass artists.  Once last year at ACC Baltimore, I met a woman who had gone to high school with my father in Ohio.  Those chance encounters, those rare connections and memories shared with people that knew him are invaluable to me now.  It's another way that working in glass has brought me closer to my father, years after he is gone.

My mother was re-married years later and coincidentally to a glass artist.  James Nadal, my stepfather, has also been a strong influence on my glassmaking.  He is, as a master glassmaker and member of the early studio movement,  someone who has been a great resource for me on many levels with glass, whether with equipment design, how to talk with galleries, what tools work well, etc.   His son is also a very skilled glassblower. For that reason I do feel as if I got a second chance at a glass family.  Years later we do have those lively discussions at the dinner table about art and how it relates to our lives.  All along I've been trying to find my own "glass-path"  and I was always very self-conscious of what I sent home as a gift to my mom for say,  a Mother's Day present.  I 'm always confident it's going to get a thorough critique by the tough, discerning critics at home.  

At the start of our 50th anniversary celebration we asked for your pictures of art glass in your homes, and what a terrific response we've had! While the history of American art glass is in museums worldwide, its life truly lies in your homes. Check out all the gorgeous pictures over at our Living with Art board. 

Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun.  If you see your photo on the board feel free to share a bit about your glass art--we do enjoy hearing how art comes into your home.

And congratulations to Sharon Rubin of Florida, who won a Tall Usubata Vase by Richard S. Jones!

 

"Undulation State II" by Harvey K. Littleton

Perhaps you are asking why a print collection would be featured during a Celebration of Studio Glass, and wondering “what is a vitreograph” anyway?

If you can imagine an ordinary sheet of glass, 3/8 of inch thick, that has been carved, ground, sandblasted and acid-etched by an artist, inked in various colors  and run through an etching press with a piece of paper to receive the ink, you may have the answer to both of these questions.

The technique of vitreography was pioneered by Harvey Littleton, the artist credited with being the “father” of the American Studio Glass movement, and we feel fortunate to feature these prints in our online celebration.

In 1974, Harvey Littleton began to experiment and teach workshops that explored various glass cold-working techniques—techniques that could change the texture or decoration on the surface of a piece of glass using sand-blasting, engraving, and grinding tools. Littleton took five pieces of sandblasted float glass from this workshop and asked his colleague at UW-Madison, a famous printmaker named Warrington Colescott, to test how well the glass would take ink and print. Colescott ran the glass pieces through his printing press, and when all printed beautifully, a new passion and print technique was born.

Image: Turchin Center for the Arts, Appalachian State University

When Littleton retired to North Carolina two years later, he built a print section into his glass studio and invited well-known painters, printmakers, potters, and glass artists to visit and collaborate on prints.

Join us at Artful Home in delighting in this wonderful side-story to the 50 year Studio Glass Celebration. In addition to featuring 12 vitreographs designed by Harvey Littleton, we are thrilled to show the vitreographs of ten other artists, each personally invited by Harvey Littleton to collaborate in the Littleton Studios exploration of vitreographs.

 

Michael Monroe, former curator-in-charge at the Smithsonian Museum’s Renwick Gallery and Director Emeritus of the Bellevue Arts Museum, is perhaps this country’s leading authority on American art glass.  He also happens to head Artful Home’s jury that reviews each new artist we represent.  So naturally, we listen when Michael speaks about art glass.

In honor of our celebration of 50 years of American art glass, Michael has selected and talked about a few glass pieces from Artful Home, which we are thrilled to share with you here. Visit our Pinterest board to share in your community. (SG)

"Fern Perfume Bottle" by Mary Angus

"I love Mary’s masterful handling of the surface on this elegant perfume bottle. The gracefully curved fern fonds define and add depth to the bulbous form which is further enhanced by the acid etched surface, creating a softness to the contrasting sparkling clear stopper."

"Swallow Carriage" by Georgia and Joseph Pozycinski

"I enjoy the Egyptian references in this unique sculpture of bronze and glass elements, using the ancient technique of lost wax for both materials. A sense of whimsy is achieved in this ceremonial and ritualistic procession by harnessing birds of flight to transport the green glowing heavy box carrying a mysterious treasure."

"Color Weave Cone" by Brian Becher

I love examples of excellent design as seen in this graphic vase of imposing stature. Using thin rods of colored glass, Becher raps, twists, and overlaps his parallel linear patterns in an unexpected diagonal direction creating a sense of dynamic and uplifting movement, a hallmark of this remarkable technician and artist."

"Cathedral Dusk" by Bernie Huebner and Lucie Boucher

Using flat sheets of kiln-polished glass in layers separated by space, Huebner and Boucher’s Cathedral Series of sculptures perfectly captures the subtle shading and layering effect of fog- shrouded mountain ranges. The internal lighting further adds mystery and drama to this peaceful landscape." 

"Leaf Bottles" by Nick Chase

"Chase’s bottles are beautifully proportioned, and with their small tops provide excellent broad surfaces for his application of delicate but graphically strong patterns of leaves. Note the soft warm interior glow that warmly contrasts winter’s frosty exterior imagery."

"Large Flamenco Vase" by Thomas Kelly

"In this stunningly elegant vase, Kelly captures the essence of the Flamenco dance with its dramatic energy and flamboyant movements."

"Menorah" by Nina Falk

A fresh and original interpretation of a menorah, Falk’s exquisite handling of two contrasting materials -- hot glass and polished brass -- perfectly captures the essence of warmth, transparency and reflection." 

Michael has recently curated Spark and Flame: 50 Years of Art Glass and the University of Wisconsin-Madison at the Chazen Museum of Art here in Madison.  You will be able to see it between April 21 and August 5, and it will be truly magnificent!

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Licorice Stick Barrel Vase" by Tracy Glover 

From long to short, thick to thin, lengthwise to crosswise, thin rods of colored glass are used by many glass artists to add pattern, imagery and interest to their blown glass pieces.

 Cane work (pronounced “cahnay” after the Venetian tradition) may be designed so it is looked at from the side (as in single color cane, braids, or twists) or it may be designed so it is looked at from the end or cross-section, as with murrini. 

In either case, cane work involves building up layers of glass into a mass that can vary from the size of a thumb to the size of a coffee can, heating the mass thoroughly to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit, and then stretching it all at once to a length of three to thirty feet. Sometimes this stretching effort requires several people, and if the cane is going to be twisted, each person twists in opposite directions as the cane is being pulled. When the cane is cool, it is cut to the desired length. The time involved in making a simple cane can range from ten minutes to close to an hour, and with a complex cane, the process can occur over many days.

Once the cane glass rods are completed, the artist is ready for the next steps. Artist David Patchen uses some of his cane lengthwise (as in his “Mixed Cane Foglio”), and with his murrine cane, slices it crosswise to show off the intricate colors and patterns (as in his “Murrini Foglio”).  He arranges all of the murrini and short cane into flat compositions of color and pattern. When a composition is finished, Patchen lightly fuses the pieces together before he picks the whole thing up on the end of the blowpipe and encases it in clear glass.

Nicholas Kekic uses the simple movement of a luminous white cane spiral as a mesmerizing design element in his “Wedding Series Cane Bowl.”  Kenny Pieper uses more complex cane to create ribbons of lacy Venetian pattern in his “White Cane Wedding Goblets”.  And Brian Becher uses thin rods of colored glass, much as a weaver would use threads, to create complicated linear glass patterns in his “Color Weave Oval Bowl”.

 From sliced murrini that look like flowers and imaginary reef creatures, to lacy Venetian braids and twists, to contemporary compositions of thin cut cane, each building block of cane will be ballooned by an artist’s breath into a final form of light, color, and pattern. (SG)

Have you sent us a photo entry for our contest?

Explore the Intricacies of Cane pinboard over at Pinterest or learn more about 50 Years Studio Glass Art.

 

"Murrine Foglio" by David Patchen

To really appreciate studio glass art you must see it up close. No matter it's size, color, or shape the delicate beauty of glass is like no other medium.  To see the shape and color vibrate with light is both singular and inspiring. 

For the avid enthusiast, a trip to the Toledo Museum of Art Museum would be high on the list. It is renowned for its extensive glass collection and for being the site of the historic 1962 Toledo Workshops. Those workshops, led by Harvey Littleton, nurtured the artists now considered pioneers of the American Studio Art Glass movement and, by extension, helped to rejuvenate studio glass in post-war Europe. Beginning in June the exhibit, Color Ignited: Glass of 1962-2012, highlights the role of color—from the conceptual to the political to the metaphorical—in the art of those who choose glass as their medium.  

For those preferring the comfort of their favorite wingback chair, over at the Artful Home we've put together studio visits featuring a few of our talented artists:

Ann Alderson Cabezas: flutterings of butterflies

Phyllis S. Clarke: seaonally focused and inspired by nature

Michael Cohn and Molly Stone: gorgeous glass pumpkins and vined fruit

Mary Mullaney and Ralph Mossman: gifted in spheres of murrini

However, one of the best ways to truly appreciate the glass blowing process is to visit a glass blowing house workshop or demonstration. In San Francisco, a few of us particpated in a reoccuring event hosted at San Francisco's Public Glass called Hot Glass, Cold Beer. The night I was there I was fortunate enough to see Artful Home glass artist David Patchen create, from start to finish, one of his signature murrini pieces (above). If you are in the area, you can catch the next event on April 28.

If you can't make it to Toledo there are many other opportunities across the United States. For a list of current and upcoming events take a look at the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass 2012 Studio Glass Events & Celebrations

Want to learn more? Visit 50 Years of Glass over at Artful Home or tour our online Studio Glass Art gallery. (JB)

 

 

 

"Opal Tangerine Nutty Bowl" by Thomas Philabaum

 

When did artists start working with glass?  You might be surprised to learn that it wasn’t that long ago.  Art glass is a widely collected medium, and one of the most popular disciplines at Artful Home.  

But prior to 1962, there was no studio glass made in America. On a spring break trip in 1962, an art professor from the University of Wisconsin teamed up with a scientist who would eventually develop specialty fiberglass products for the space program.  They gathered for an experimental workshop at the Toledo Museum of Art.  That Toledo workshop started the art glass movement in America. 

The scientist, Dominick Labino, provided a formula for glass that could melt at relatively low temperatures.  The art professor, Harvey Littleton, brought a handful of students and a small pot furnace.  From that Toledo workshop gathering, Littleton created a dedicated program in glass art at the University of Wisconsin.  Littleton’s first students were some of glass art's most celebrated artists and greatest evangelists:  Dale Chihuly, Fritz Dreisbach, Michael Taylor, Marvin Lipofsky, and Tom McGlauchlin.

 

2012 is the 50^th anniversary of that spring break workshop; museums throughout the country will be celebrating that anniversary this year.  Here in Madison, our own Chief Juror, Michael Monroe, has curated an exhibition at the University of Wisconsin’s Chazen Museum of Art titled, “Spark and Flame: 50 Years of Art Glass and the UW-Madison."  Many major museums will hold similar events throughout 2012, including shows in Toledo, Corning NY, Seattle, Dallas and Sacramento. 

Many of our own glass artists are direct descendents of this tradition, having studied with the students of Harvey Littleton; we are particularly proud of them.  Please join us in celebrating the anniversary of one of the most dynamic movements in art. 

 

Step into our galleries to see the many shapes and colors of our artists visit www.artfulhome.com

 

 

 

 

 

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