On Sunday I leave for Pilchuck Glass School.   Pilchuck was founded in 1971 by Dale Chihuly and patrons Anne Gould Hauberg and John H. Hauberg, and has become the most comprehensive educational center in the world for artists working in glass.  

Early in my career, I had the pleasure of studying at Pilchuck three summers in a row.  The school is equipped with a wealth of work spaces, tools, materials, and people to help in every manner of working with glass, as well as wood and metal shops. 

Next week a group of 10 flameworkers will meet for a week-long self-directed residency. Our purpose has nothing to do with making a bunch of work. We are gathering to discuss art, career and business, the future of glass in the arts, the future of our own work and careers, to experiment with new techniques or projects, and mostly to learn from each other. Steve Klein is leading a group of glass casters at the same time, so there will be opportunity to cross-pollinate ideas and thinking.

I am greatly looking forward to this opportunity to learn from and contribute to my colleagues.  I give thanks to artist Elizabeth Mears, for organizing our reisdency!

http://www.elizabethmears.com/

www.Pilchuck.com

This Friday I will visit the studio of Hans Godo Fräbel, an artist and one of the founding fathers of modern torch work in glass.  Mr. Fräbel’s art is in public and private collections in over 80 countries, including Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan, current and former heads of governments such as Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Anwar Sadat as well as museums in London, Paris, Tokyo, Dresden, Valencia, Corning, San Francisco, New York and Washington D. C.  

My visit with Mr. Fräbel is part of my prize for winning the Hans Godo Fräbel Award for 2009.  The award competition, hosted by Mr. Fräbel and his foundation, was open to glass artists worldwide.  My piece “Sun Pods” was the winner, and Kimberly Fields won the Novice Award.

 Friday evening, Mr. Fräbel will host a reception for Kimberly and myself at his studio and gallery in Atlanta, Georga. 

 www.frabel.com

Northstar Glassworks has awarded glass grants to ten students of the John Burton Program.  Northstar makes borosilicate glass in various forms including rods, frits (small chips in varying sizes), and powders.  I use Northstar glass for most of my work. 

Paul Stankard is the founder of the John Burton Program, an online self-study educational program for flameworkers. 

I am fortunate to be a student in Paul Stankard’s seminar and one of the Northstar grant recipients.   Each grantee will receive $250 worth of Northstar glass.  I have ordered $250 worth of Blue Thunder rod.   Blue Thunder is a beautiful blue with streaks of brown.  

http://www.northstarglass.com/photos.asp?code=NS-122

My plan is to make a large Blue Thunder cyclone with fruits and leaves spinning out of it.  I’ll post photos as I progress. 

Thank you Northstar and Paul Stankard!!

For a daily dose of art, visit the Daily Art Muse at www.dailyartmuse.com in which Susan Lomuto offers a daily posting of artists in a full range of media and subject matter. 

Today’s post is about my art.  http://dailyartmuse.com/2010/02/24/kathleen-elliots-glass-botanicals/

Thank you, Susan!

Last night I attended the annual auction at Bay Area Glass Institute.  Lots of beautiful and provocative works of art were auctioned off to benefit the school.

Awards were given, and I am proud to say, I won a Jurors’ Choice Award for Cyclone Expecting.  The jurors (judges) chose the best piece in the auction, and three other Jurors’ Choice Awards.  The criteria for these awards were uniqueness and creativity within the world of glass as well as for the individual artist, technical mastery, and content beyond mere technical beauty or mastery.

The top prize, the Saxe Award went to Michael Janis for his piece Meridians. The two other Jurors’ Choice Awards went to Paul Cunningham for his Olive Flannela Vase and to Ethan Stern for Nana Span.  Also awarded was the People’s Choice Award, voted on by the auction attendees. Two artists tied for this award – Randy Strong for his Blue Orchid and Treg Silkwood and Candace Martin for Nautilus.  Congratulations to All!