Preserving the magic of glass

Last weekend a consensus was raised about the state of studio glass in Los Angeles: it doesn't get the attention it deserves. There is undoubtedly a community of glass artists and collectors here - and venues that are happy to showcase glass (like us!) - but there is a lack of cohesion.

These concerns were brought to the fore at last week's panel discussion hosted by Craft in America Center on May 10, "Pilchuck and the Studio Glass Trajectory." Pilchuck Glass School, located about 50 miles north of Seattle, Wa., was founded in 1971 by glass artist Dale Chihuly and patrons Anne and John Hauberg. Today it is one of the foremost schools in glass education, producing and attracting some of the best glassmakers in the country.

It would make sense, then, to stage a panel around Pilchuck Glass School. All four panelists were spirited about its impact. Two of them, glass artists Hiromi Takizawa and Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend, have taught at Pilchuck repeatedly; the other two panelists have been active in the glass collecting community for years: Anne Cohen Ruderman is the founder of GALA (Glass Alliance of Los Angeles); Susan Steinhauser is a collector of contemporary glass. She and her husband, Daniel Greenberg, are significant donors of art around the country, including to LACMA. The panel was moderated by Jo Lauria, independent curator and art and design historian.

Since there was so much ground to cover, the conversation didn't stop at Craft in America Center; it continued at the home of two generous art collectors whose outstanding glass collection was worth the trip alone.

An urgent topic that came up was the lack of interest in studio glass in Los Angeles. If Seattle has such an inspired commitment to glass, why can't Los Angeles? For one thing, glass is costly to make; for another, in recent years Los Angeles has lacked sufficient education in glass. This shows in the collections of major museums in the city: glass is not a priority.

Thankfully, there are exceptions. LACMA, though it's organized only one major exhibition on glass, has done several installations of studio glass in their permanent gallery space, and also rotates the glass in their permanent collection on a regular basis. In 2012 the Associate Curator of Decorative Arts and Design, Bobbye Tigerman, organized an installation celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Studio Glass Movement.

Other Los Angeles institutions celebrated in kind: The Craft and Folk Art Museum organized Balancing Act: The Glass Sculpture of Steve Klein, and in the same year Otis College of Art and Design featured some of Alison Saar's glass work in her solo exhibition there.

. . . . . .

Another consensus was raised among the panelists: a significant community has grown around Pilchuck, many of its beneficiaries right here in Los Angeles. The panelists were vociferous about its magic: Pilchuck is an unmatched beacon of community and creativity. Its idyllic, tree-studded campus no doubt has an effect, but the glass medium has something to do with it, too: glass, especially hot glass, requires collaboration. That would explain the lack of competitiveness at Pilchuck. It is a space for sharing, exchanging and supporting. Takizawa, who has taught many courses at Pilchuck, was adamant about this.

Students at Pilchuck assisting Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend with her design, 1983

(Courtesy of Pilchuck Glass School)

Students at Pilchuck, 1973/74

(Courtesy of Pilchuck Glass School) 

View of Pilchuck Glass School

The magic of Pilchuck is singular, and yet there could be alot more spark channeled into LA's glass community. There are many, many talented and innovative glass artists in the city, and we should advocate for them.

From the shelves

We just received this donation from the collection of Eudorah Moore, a visionary curator and champion of craft and design:

Hand Bookbinding Today, an International Art: An Exhibition Organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in Cooperation with The Hand Bookbinders of California (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1978)

Craft in America Center talks millinery

The Craft in America Center was thrilled to host our pop-up seasonal millinery exhibit and talk by custom milliner Yvonne Lewis, the Hatzy Lady. Participants got the chance to see some of Yvonne’s favorite handmade looks for spring as well as a live demonstration of how they are constructed.  

Guests tried on finished creations and learned about what suits their face shape, and how to wear a hat with STYLE.

We had a great turnout and were so happy to touch on the time-honored tradition of millinery.

Hats Off to Spring took place Saturday, April 12, 2014 at the Craft in America Center.

Supporting young artists in Los Angeles

In 2013 the Craft in America Center launched a pilot program to support aspiring artists at Fairfax High School's Visual Arts Magnet. Our goal has been to give students in public high schools the chance to meet some of the leading working, professional artists in the field and to learn about the trajectory of their careers. The arts often suffer at the expense of the otherwise successful STEM education model in public schools (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), and for this reason we think our project is vital to giving art students a voice and granting them access to creative resources.

Our most recent collaboration involved glass artists Paul Marioni and Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend, whose work is currently on exhibit at the Center in Seeing Into It: Messages in Glass. Previous participating artists have been potter Jeff Oestreich, collage artist Hidde Van Dyum, and illustrator JT Steiny.

Catch a timeline of Paul and Susan's activities here:

March 20 & 21: Paul speaking to a 3D sculpture class about self-portraiture and being a life-long, professional artist. He visited two classes and asked them to sketch self-portraits which he then critiqued.

March 24: Paul and Susan giving a walk-thru of the show to the two art classes. 

The bus provided was courtesy of Councilman Paul Koretz's office and the city of LA.

Visiting classes were advanced painting (teacher: Elizabeth Kim) and 3D sculpture (teacher: Kelly Cohen).

April 4: (above) Fairfax students from a workshop led by Susan. She had them paint on acrylic to mimic her layered-glass technique using doodles. First, she started by having them think about defining a doodle (whatever your unconscious wants to release), paint doodles, then add color on the other side of the panel; (center) Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend; (below) Susan and Kelly Cohen, Teacher, 3D Sculpture.

April 4: Susan talks to students about the unconscious 

To learn more about our Fairfax High School pilot program, click here.

The business of craft

INDUSTRY, our newest Craft in America episode, premiers on PBS tonight. Alas, us Angelenos won't be able to enjoy it for another two weeks, but if you're in San Francisco, New York or Chicago, you can tune in tonight. Visit our Facebook page for local listings.

Click here for a 30-second preview of INDUSTRY.

ENJOY!

This week: honor your mother (or a mother figure)

Printmaking is a centuries-old practice, one of its benefits being the reproduction of multiples. Not every technique produces this effect, however-- like the monotype process. Because no lines are incised onto the printing plate (unlike in etching or woodblock), the clarity of the image is lost after the first run of the press. You'll be left with what's called a ghost, or a diluted version of your original image. While the creation process involves loss, it also involves the revelation of something new-- a one-of-a-kind image. Never again can you replicate the same one.

Aren't you totally curious about making one yourself?

Come join us this Saturday, May 4 for our Annual Mothers' Day Printmaking Workshop at the Craft in America Center, where you can do just that. Sign up for Session 1 (12:00-2:00pm), Session 2 (3:30-5:30), or BOTH! Printmaker Christina Carroll will guide you through the experience. Her artwork is incredible, evidence of which you can see next door at Freehand Gallery. (Ask about her egg carton series.)

For the workshop you can bring your own design or derive inspiration from our current exhibition:

Seeing Into It: Messages in Glass

Paul Mariono and Susan Stinsmuehelen-Amend

March 22, 2014 - June 28, 2014

 Here's an example of a print from one of Christina's previous workshops:

At the Center you will paint your design onto Plexiglass with water-based oil paint. Once the plate is inked, you'll place damp printmaking paper on top of it. Next you'll apply pressure onto the surface, which will transfer your image from the plate to the paper. The plate is then pulled away from the inked surface, revealing your image.

Sign up here!

"What? You have a LIBRARY?"

YES! And you can use it whenever you want (during the hours of 12-6PM, Tuesday-Saturday). Whether you're doing research, working on a craft project, or in the mood to peruse, come and enjoy our space. We have a beautiful George Nakashima table at which you can sit and read.

What is there to read? Lots.

...periodicals

....or books

...or a whole shelf of books

Stay tuned for weekly highlights of our collection.