7.30.2009
7.29.2009
7.17.2009
Taliaferro Jones At Wheaton
Taliaferro Jones' sculpture and photography will be on display at this year's Glass Weekend 2009 at the Creative Glass Center of America at Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center in Millville New Jersey.Glass Weekend is an international symposium and exhibition of contemporary glass. Since 1985, this biennial event has brought together some of the world's leading glass artists, collectors, galleries and museum curators for exhibitions
, lectures, demonstrations and social events.
, lectures, demonstrations and social events.Works on display are her sculpture, "Quiver," and her photography, "Clear."
For more information go to: http://www.wheatonarts.org/creativeglasscenteramerica/glassweekend
7.05.2009
COLD+HOT 2009
It is very exciting to open COLD+HOT 2009, a comprehensive sculpture exhibition celebrating the use of glass as a fine art medium. In San Francisco, there is a particular excitement about opening an exhibition where the focus is glass. The San Francisco Bay Area is the birthplace of the West Coast glass movement, and home to many fine artists who work almost exclusively with glass as their medium of expression (as one artist emphasized in his statement, to say they are ‘glass artists’ is as much a misnomer as saying Leonardo da Vinci was a draftsman because he knew how to draw, or that Michelangelo was a mere marble artist, and Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel were bronze artists just because they might, arguably, be known only for their sculpture). Prior to San Francisco’s M.H. de Young Museum opening of its Saxe Collection, the idea of glass as a sculptural medium wasn’t seriously entertained. In fact, many contemporary art critics and collectors continue to relegate the use of glass exclusively as a craft medium today. And so, the dialogue of glass as a fine art medium continues, with growing awareness that it is a fickle and demanding tool, evolving as a lyrical and sophisticated medium of artistic expression.
The inner circle of glass collectors is a small and surprisingly organized cognoscenti who followed the studio glass movement from the early1960s through its vision of contemporary art today. In the United States, they study the work of artists such as Marvin Lipofsky, Harvey Littleton, William Morris, Lino Tagliapietra, Mary White, and who hasn’t heard of Dale Chihuly? The inner circle includes curator Tina Oldnow, critics James Yood and (the late) Dan Klein, gallerists William Traver and Douglas Heller (and their eponymous galleries), as well as San Francisco’s own collectors and philanthropists, Dorothy and Gordon Saxe.
The focus of COLD+HOT 2009 is the material, glass. It is about glass as a medium of artistic expression, as sculpture. Most of the artists presented possess enviable academic credentials (BFA or MFA) with emphasis in glass, painting or sculpture. They studied form, light and space, and are masters of their medium whether it is blown, cast, engraved or laminated. Some of the artists focus on the form captured by the exterior planes of their sculpture, or the optics created by sculpting the exterior as well as uses of material to develop their artistic vision. Some of the artists are ‘outsider’ artists, who mastered their craft indirectly while working with the medium, and developed conceptual ideas iterated via glass. And, to mix it up, yes, we included two painters, who have no material relationship to the medium of glass. All the artists in this exhibition are fine artists.
Peter Bremers sailed away to the Antarctic a few years ago. His series, “Icebergs and Paraphernalia” is in direct relationship to the landscape and light he studied during his adventure. Eric Franklin’s anatomical forms don’t leave much to the imagination – here is a pair of hands, this is a rib cage, and these are a pair of feet. Skeletal, formed with borosilicate glass (commonly known as Pyrex), his combined use of lamp worked glass with neon and krypton gases is electrifying. Grant Garmezy grew up on a farm in Tennessee, and his childhood memories of long lost animal life continue to be a source for his award-winning sculpture. Phillip Hua’s expressive series “De/Construction” studies his recent experience in Beijing as light was obscured by atmospheric industrial waste. Michelle Knox continues to build her year of awards and scholarship with “Chorten Stones,” an imposing abstracted temple of blown glass and oil painted forms. Weston Lambert sculpts the interior of his works, laminates them, and sculpts the exterior in his preservation of fleeting memories. Susan Longini addresses the fragility of the passage of time; Greg Nangle celebrates the perfection of the imperfect; Nancy Otto shows us that some things, such as desire, can be larger than life; Lorraine Peltz addresses the feminine ideal and identity; Stig Persson studies the tension of interior and exterior spatial relationships, along with Chantal Royant; while Thomas Scoon turns to companionship and community with juxtapositions of glass and stone. Carmen Spera, deliberately shuns the title of ‘glass artist’ yet puns the term and material with laminated weaponry that lampoons the ongoing parallel fascinations of high fashion with violence. Jennifer Umphress celebrates the use of borosilicate glass with an ongoing dialogue of the natural world; Kristiina Uslar contrasts the extreme delicacy of pâte-de-verre with her sculptures of industrial shapes; and Sasha Zhitneva employs light to emphasize the painted forms of her kiln worked glass planes.
COLD+HOT 2009 celebrates the work of these artists with their presentations of cold worked (carved, engraved, polished) glass and hot worked (blown, cast, kiln fired) glass and painting (acrylic, mixed media, and oil). The premised material for this exhibition is glass presented within three basic ranges: borosilicate (the most heat resistant), soda glass (the most common), and lead glass (also known as crystal). The artworks employ all the classic and formal methods knows to sculpture, such as carving and lost wax casting, and in some cases, develop new methods to feature the lyrical and poetic qualities of light captured by glass. Many of the artists in COLD+HOT 2009 are prestigious academics and graduates, elite within their respective programs, some are gifted with continuous awards recognizing their work, while others enjoy the prestige of commissions at venues like the Waldorf Astoria and abroad. They are all, without question, fine artists with relevant ideas in step with today’s dialogue and social commentary, whose practice is presented with mastery and well-developed skill, and whose work is not only engaging, but beautiful and visually pleasurable.
The inner circle of glass collectors is a small and surprisingly organized cognoscenti who followed the studio glass movement from the early1960s through its vision of contemporary art today. In the United States, they study the work of artists such as Marvin Lipofsky, Harvey Littleton, William Morris, Lino Tagliapietra, Mary White, and who hasn’t heard of Dale Chihuly? The inner circle includes curator Tina Oldnow, critics James Yood and (the late) Dan Klein, gallerists William Traver and Douglas Heller (and their eponymous galleries), as well as San Francisco’s own collectors and philanthropists, Dorothy and Gordon Saxe.
The focus of COLD+HOT 2009 is the material, glass. It is about glass as a medium of artistic expression, as sculpture. Most of the artists presented possess enviable academic credentials (BFA or MFA) with emphasis in glass, painting or sculpture. They studied form, light and space, and are masters of their medium whether it is blown, cast, engraved or laminated. Some of the artists focus on the form captured by the exterior planes of their sculpture, or the optics created by sculpting the exterior as well as uses of material to develop their artistic vision. Some of the artists are ‘outsider’ artists, who mastered their craft indirectly while working with the medium, and developed conceptual ideas iterated via glass. And, to mix it up, yes, we included two painters, who have no material relationship to the medium of glass. All the artists in this exhibition are fine artists.
Peter Bremers sailed away to the Antarctic a few years ago. His series, “Icebergs and Paraphernalia” is in direct relationship to the landscape and light he studied during his adventure. Eric Franklin’s anatomical forms don’t leave much to the imagination – here is a pair of hands, this is a rib cage, and these are a pair of feet. Skeletal, formed with borosilicate glass (commonly known as Pyrex), his combined use of lamp worked glass with neon and krypton gases is electrifying. Grant Garmezy grew up on a farm in Tennessee, and his childhood memories of long lost animal life continue to be a source for his award-winning sculpture. Phillip Hua’s expressive series “De/Construction” studies his recent experience in Beijing as light was obscured by atmospheric industrial waste. Michelle Knox continues to build her year of awards and scholarship with “Chorten Stones,” an imposing abstracted temple of blown glass and oil painted forms. Weston Lambert sculpts the interior of his works, laminates them, and sculpts the exterior in his preservation of fleeting memories. Susan Longini addresses the fragility of the passage of time; Greg Nangle celebrates the perfection of the imperfect; Nancy Otto shows us that some things, such as desire, can be larger than life; Lorraine Peltz addresses the feminine ideal and identity; Stig Persson studies the tension of interior and exterior spatial relationships, along with Chantal Royant; while Thomas Scoon turns to companionship and community with juxtapositions of glass and stone. Carmen Spera, deliberately shuns the title of ‘glass artist’ yet puns the term and material with laminated weaponry that lampoons the ongoing parallel fascinations of high fashion with violence. Jennifer Umphress celebrates the use of borosilicate glass with an ongoing dialogue of the natural world; Kristiina Uslar contrasts the extreme delicacy of pâte-de-verre with her sculptures of industrial shapes; and Sasha Zhitneva employs light to emphasize the painted forms of her kiln worked glass planes.
COLD+HOT 2009 celebrates the work of these artists with their presentations of cold worked (carved, engraved, polished) glass and hot worked (blown, cast, kiln fired) glass and painting (acrylic, mixed media, and oil). The premised material for this exhibition is glass presented within three basic ranges: borosilicate (the most heat resistant), soda glass (the most common), and lead glass (also known as crystal). The artworks employ all the classic and formal methods knows to sculpture, such as carving and lost wax casting, and in some cases, develop new methods to feature the lyrical and poetic qualities of light captured by glass. Many of the artists in COLD+HOT 2009 are prestigious academics and graduates, elite within their respective programs, some are gifted with continuous awards recognizing their work, while others enjoy the prestige of commissions at venues like the Waldorf Astoria and abroad. They are all, without question, fine artists with relevant ideas in step with today’s dialogue and social commentary, whose practice is presented with mastery and well-developed skill, and whose work is not only engaging, but beautiful and visually pleasurable.
7.01.2009
Dan Klein - In Memoriam
Joshua Hershman wrote today: Dan Klein was a force of nature 1938-2009.Josh is one of the many, many artists enriched with a residency at the glass summer school, North Lands Creative Glass in Lybster, Scotland, founded by Dan Klein, and his partner, Alan J. Poole.
A world authority on contemporary glass, Dan Klein has written and lectured extensively on the subject, and with Alan J. Poole, curated important exhibitions. He curatorial practice, included staging two Venice Glass Biennales ‘Venezia Aperto Vetro’ in 1996 and 1998, 21st Century British Glass in association with Daniel Katz Limited in 2005, and Lucio Bubacco’s extraordinary installation entitled ‘Eternal Temptation’ at SOFA Chicago in 2008. Unbeknown to those of us who met him, his last exhibition, an intimate show of exquisite sculpture, Contrasts & Collaborations was staged from 13 May to 17 June, 2009, and presented individual and collaborative works by Sally Fawkes and Richard Jackson, two of Britain’s leading young artists in glass, following their exhibition at the Museo de Arte en Vidrio De Alcorcon in Madrid.
Lastly, Dan Klein curated the successful Modern and Contemporary Glass auction with Bonhams, London, on Tuesday, May 19, 2009. A well-known auctioneer, his career began with Christie's auction house in London (he was the former international director of 20th century decorative arts). Among the highlights to his celebrated career in Contemporary Glass, Klein was International Executive Director of Phillips from 1998-2001 prior to its merger with Bonhams. A collector, curator, and writer specializing in contemporary glass, Dan Klein, was an ardent supporter of glass artists, who proved this like no other when he and his partner, Alan J. Poole, helped found a registered charity, the prestigious glass summer school, North Lands Creative Glass.I met Dan Klein only twice. First at the Glass Art Society's Portland meeting last year, and last just a little over 2 weeks ago, when I was visiting in London. Since my first meeting with Dan wasn't too encouraging, I was hesitant about meeting him again, especially on his own turf. But as soon as my 13 year old daughter and I crossed the threshold into his home, he was beautifully warm and hospitable. Proud of his exhibition of Fawkes and Richard's work, he spoke warmly of the artists he admired, among them, Joshua Hershman, one of the most recent to complete a residency from the North Glass School. He was proud of his friendships with important contributors to the Contemporary Glass movement, especially that of Marvin Lipofsky, whom he admired greatly and wrote an essay for his Oakland Museum retrospective in 2006. Apologizing for not being his usual spry self, Dan Klein was very generous with his conversation and kind remarks to my daughter. I left his home delighted with my new acquaintance, grateful for his time and respectful of his knowledge. I know the world of Contemporary Glass has lost a devoted supporter.
Below is Alan J. Poole's announcement of Dan Klein's demise.
Dear Contemporary Glass Community,
Regrettably, it is with great sadness that I greet you this time with the news that my friend, work colleague and partner Dan Klein died at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, on Sunday.
Please do excuse me if I have already informed you and for those that I have as yet not been in touch with personally, I do so apologise for having to inform you in this rather 'cold' manner, but there has been so many things to do and an overwhelming number of people to contact.
I know that I have already said this to many people but it sums Dan up to a t;
The dearest, sweetest most charming man has been taken not just from me but from us all. He touched many people's lives and I like to think that mostly this was in a very positive way.
Dan's cremation will be at Putney Vale Crematorium, London, this Friday, 03/07/09 at 13:40.
Anyone wishing to send flowers, be they attending or not able to, should arrange for the florist to send them to the address as printed below, whilst marking the flowers for Dan Klein at the 13:40 cremation. The address is:
Putney Vale Crematorium.
Stag Lane,
Putney,
London. SW15 3DZ.
ENGLAND.
Tel: 020 8871 7820.
Otherwise, if you would care to donate to a charity, then something for our glass summer school, North Lands Creative Glass in Lybster, that we helped found (a registered charity), would be great too. Please contact Mrs. Lorna MacMillan on Tel: 01593 721 229 who will be able to advise you.
With all good wishes and be happy,
Regards,
Alan J.P.
Alan J. Poole.
Dan Klein Associates
(Specialists In Contemporary Glass)
43 Hugh Street,
Pimlico,
London. SW1V 1QJ.
ENGLAND.
Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7821 6040.
Fax. 00 44 (0)20 7834 2480.
Email: alanjpoole@aol.com
Website: www.dankleinglass.com
Jenna North is officially an MFA
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