PILCHUCK GLASS SCHOOL
In <strong>2017</strong> JamFactory celebrates the 15th year of its Pilchuck Glass School Partner Scholarship. Brokered by the Glass Department’s past Head of Studio and Mentor Nick Mount, and supported by JamFactory and Arts South Australia, the scholarship provides the opportunity for a first year Associate to attend one of the school’s summer sessions. This year Billy Crellin, a graduate of the Sydney College of the Arts, was awarded the opportunity and attended the school in July. ‘I am proud to be this year’s recipient and grateful to benefit from the ongoing relationship between the JamFactory and Pilchuck. The scholarship offers a unique opportunity to learn from highly accomplished artists and I expect to prosper from the experience,’ says Crellin. Pilchuck boasts a reputation as the world’s most comprehensive centre for glass education. Located 80 kilometres from Seattle in Stanwood, Washington, the school offers intensive residential instruction taught by worldrenowned artists, as well as residencies for both emerging and established practitioners in all media. The program comprises a series of sessions that run primarily from May through to September during which five concurrent courses are taught in a variety of glassworking processes for artists of all skill levels. Founded in 1971 by glass artist Daly Chihuly and patrons Anne Gould Hauberg and John H. Hauberg, the school began as an experimental summer workshop. Camping on site using makeshift equipment, the artists and students of the early years embraced experimentation and exploration. Today the campus has grown to include facilities for glassblowing, casting, coldworking, flameworking, fusing, neon, glass painting, stained glass and printmaking, as well as wood and metal studios. Yet, the school’s original core values endure: to inspire creativity, transform individuals and build community. The school’s unique setting, on a former tree farm in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, supports this vision. Mount, who has been a member of the faculty both as a teaching assistant and instructor multiple times since 1985 and in 2000 was appointed to the school’s International Council which he now co-chairs, describes it as a wonderland. Both staff and students live on campus for the duration of sessions, working long days, sharing meals in the communal kitchen/dining facilities and sleeping in log cabins. ‘It’s a super-heated learning environment in which the energy and expectations are high, and everyone is fully invested in glass and the experience,’ says Mount. With a focus on fostering and educating a worldwide community, Pilchuck maintains partner scholarships with schools and universities around the world. These relationships extend Pilchuck’s outreach and ensure they engage an ever-expanding international community of artists. In turn, the students awarded these scholarships receive a unique learning experience and opportunity to connect with glass artists from around the world while acting as ambassadors for their home institution. Over its 15-year history, JamFactory’s scholarship has had long-term impacts on the Associates who receive them. Madeline Prowd, the Glass Studio’s Assistant Technician and recipient of the scholarship in 2010, remembers it as an incredible experience, which has been a catalyst for ongoing opportunities upon her return. In 2013 she assisted Ben Edols, the following year she assisted Brian Corr and received the School’s Saxe Award to attend a class in 2015, and this year she has been invited to return as a Craftsperson-in- Residence. Also known as a Gaffer, Pilchuck invites two accomplished artists with expertise in hot glassworking to execute the creative visions of the School’s Artists-In- Residence and instructors for each session. It is a significant opportunity and reflects Prowd’s technical skill and expertise. The scholarship’s value extends beyond the benefits it offers the Associates. Returning with new knowledge and international networks, the Associates share their experiences with the wider glass community. Karen Cunningham, the current Creative Director of JamFactory’s Glass Studio and recipient of the scholarship in 2006, describes being profoundly impacted by her experience attending a class taught by Seattle-based American glass artist, Boyd Sugiki. On her return she lobbied to get him and his wife, artist Lisa Zerkowitz, to Adelaide and in 2011 they taught a workshop at the JamFactory, sharing teaching notes that are still referred to today. Glass working is inherently collaborative and Pilchuck’s ability to grow from the idealism and imagination with which it began reflects the passion and good-will of those who work with the medium. Subsequently, the school’s commitment to supporting the community and fostering teamwork has almost certainly contributed to the culture of generosity and collaboration found within glass studios around the world. Words by Peta Mount Peta is a program manager and arts writer based in Adelaide, South Australia. She currently manages the studio of contemporary Australian artist Jason Sims and works in the role of Artist Services Manager at Guildhouse. Left: Glass Studio. Photographer: Andre Castellucci. ISSUE 05 / 35