letter from the GAs President Get ready to be ... - Glass Art Society

I n t e r n at i o n a l W i n d ow
Symposium in Latin Means Discussion and Debate: IGS 2006
The 9th Interglass Symposium was held from
October 11-15 this year in the Crystalex factory
in Novy Bor, Czech Republic. Thirty-three artists
from twelve* countries took part, which made the
conference a real success.
by Sylva Petrova
The very first symposium in Novy Bor took
place in 1982, which was seven years before
the former communist regime fell in 1989. In
1985 and 1988, two further symposiums were
organized both on an extremely grand scale
thanks to the rather absurd conditions of the
socialist economy, which spent huge financial
budgets on state promotion and representation.
The decision to open the gates of the biggest state
factory to the West was forced by the atmosphere of
Perestroika in the Soviet Union. This brought a more
relaxed attitude to contacts with foreigners than ever
before and the glass artist’s wish to organise an international
meeting in glass was finally approved by the
officials. Artists from both of the sides of the “iron curtain”
craved contact and the symposia quickly gained
a sensational reputation. Everybody who was active in
glass–artists, gallery owners, curators and collectors–
wanted to be there. By the end of the 1980s, the symposium
was worryingly monstrous and the meetings
were in danger of becoming more of a socialising event
rather than a place for making serious experiments in
glass. However the atmosphere was always seductive,
charged with energy and enthusiasm.
In the new democratic regime the symposium had
to be self-financing. The first, in 1992 had a Japanese
sponsor, following symposia became much more
modest and were organized in co-operation with other
contributors, for example; Ajeto and the School of
Glassmaking in Novy Bor. The recent re-construction
of the Czech glass industry and the new tight economic
situation very quickly eliminated the problems associated
with the scale of the symposium during the 1990s.
The new private owners of the factory had to consider
Zoja Trofimiuk and Stan Melis, visiting from Australia,
in discussion in the hot shop
whether the glasswork could keep going in the traditional
way. Over the years the Crystalex production line
had become quite distanced from the activities of the
symposium. This meant that the factory could not
benefit economically from it directly. Thankfully the
vision of moral credit and cultural benefits has triumphed
over the economic arguments and symposia are
organised every three years.
2006 has seen a new vision for the symposia.
For the first time a glass curator, was involved in the
position of the Art Director of the IGS. I was appointed
to co-operate with the factory in shaping the final
concept of the event. I helped to short-list the 40
participants and had a significant influence on the
selection and installation of the results that came out
of the days’ events. Twelve of the artists focussed on
mould and free-formed blowing projects and the rest
worked with predominately cold techniques: painting,
grinding, engraving, carving and sandblasting. All of
the attendees could profit artistically from all of the
technologies which were availiable throughout the
various factory workshops.
Professor Vladimir Kopecky performs a glass demo accompanied
by the Ravel’s “Bolero”
Amongst the invited artists were: Vessa Varela (Finland),
Antoine Leperlier (France), Ursula Huth (Germany),
Paula Bartron (Sweden), Scott Chaseling (Australia),
Josh Simpson (USA). From the Czech Republic: Gizela
Sabokova, Vladimir Kopecky and Vladena Klumpar
(also-USA). Some younger “hot” artists were also included:
James Maskrey (Great Britain) and Zoja Trofimiuk
(Australia). Many others came to Novy Bor for the first
time. In spite of the limited time, everyone in attendance
had the chance to enhance their experience and also
had a good time. In the process the Crystalex’s IGS
collection was extended with many extraordinary and
wonderful pieces.
*Hungary, Finland, Lithuania, Germany, Sweden,
Slovakia, USA, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Czech
Republic, Korea
Sylva Petrova is former curator of the Museum of
Decorative Arts in Prague, Czech Republic and currently
Professor in Glass and Director of the Institute for International
Research in Glass the University of Sunderland, UK.
W O R K S H O P S
G A S L I N E (continued from pg. 2)
4
At Pratt Fine Arts Center,
Seattle’s Only Rentable Cold Shop
Undergoes Major Expansion
by Karen Rudd
In Seattle, there are about as many hot shops as
glassblowers, which is to say a lot. Ironically, the city has
only one coldshop rentable to the public – at Pratt Fine
Arts Center, a nonprofit art organization founded in
1976 during the rise of studio glass movement.
This fall with monies raised from Pratt’s Annual Fine
Art Auction, the coldshop is undergoing a complete
renovation designed to unlock the artistic potential in
coldworking glass.
The new cold shop boasts twice as much floor
space allowing several people to use the studio at once.
Pratt is adding counter space in reach of every machine,
new ventilation, ample lighting from several skylights
and spot lights, and a floor drainage system designed
for easy clean-up. All of the machinery – flat wheels, a
diamond saw, upright belt sander, band saw, drill press
and lathes – are refurbished with new parts, motors and
paint. An additional grit wheel and a reciprolap are on
the way.
“Pratt’s new cold shop is now one of the best
cold shops in the area,” said Paul Larned, glass studio
technician who designed and oversaw the renovations.
“With this new studio, Pratt will be able to offer a
variety of great new classes in coldworking. Treating
the surface of glasswork has become hugely popular
and we want to ride the wave.” Larned culled the best
of ideas from cold shops around the world in designing
this state-of-the-art studio. The cold shop rental fee
will remain unchanged at $15/hour.
Soon Pratt will also beef up its hot shop with
new concrete floors, new windows, new heat baffling
systems, and a paint job. For renters in Pratt’s hot shop,
new full-time monitors will light glory holes, cycle ovens,
do general clean-up and put away annealed work. In
addition, improved ventilation is planned for Pratt’s
flameworking and flat shops to join the new slumping
kiln, two new flameworking annealing kilns, light tables
and a big selection of new hand tools.
For more information on the renovations, visit Pratt’s
website at www.pratt.org or email plarned@pratt.org.
Karen Rudd has worked for Pratt Fine Arts Center for
the past five years as a sculpture technician, volunteer
coordinator, and marketing manager. She is also a sculptor
working in metal, wood and glass.
Honors and Awards – Congratulations!
Benjamin Moore will receive the 2006 Libensky
Award from Pilchuck Glass School. Ronnie
Hughes took top honors in the National Capital
Orchid Society Juried Art Competition. His Phrag
Grande Orchid and his Phalaenopsis Aphrodite won
Best of Glass, The Eugene Griffith Award for Best
of Decorative Art and The Eva Campbell Memorial
Award for Best Art in Show. Ana Thiel has won
the First Biennale of Art in Glass in Latin America
for her piece Triada-Trine 1. Chicago’s Crown
Fountain by Spanish artist, Jaume Plensa has
won the Bombay Sapphire Prize 2006. The 2006
Bullseye E-Merge Prizes have been announced:
Nonfunctional Prize - 1st prize - Cobi Cockburn;
2nd prize - Robin Provart-Kelly; 3rd prize -
Kevin O’Toole. Functional Prize - 1st prize -
Paolo Scala and Eleonora Lucani; 2nd prize -
Jaqueline Cooley; 3rd prize - Brendan McSheehy
III; Academic Prize - Miho Higashide; Kilncaster
Prize - Ede Horton; Newcomer Prize - Alex Hirsch;
Popular Prize - Cobi Cockburn. This year’s Glass
Sellers Prize was won by Glass Art Society member
Colin Reid for his cast glass piece Cello. A special
award was made to runner-up Jessica Townsend.
The winner of the Student Award 2006 is June
Kingsbury, student runner-up, Tracy Nicholls.
The British Glass Biennale 2006 Best in Show
Prize went to Max Jacquard for his work entitled
For my Lost Loves III - The Ongoing Moment.
You can now purchase GAS t-shirts and
Journals online at www.glassart.org.
Just click on Store!