Podcast appearances and mentions of Dale Chihuly

Investigating interpersonal themes and the notion of community, Jen Elek is a studio artist and educator based in Seattle, Washington. She creates objects and installations of colorful glass and neon light employed as a form of non-verbal communication. Her most recent glass series titled Doliums is inspired by large Roman clay storage containers.  Elek received her BFA from Alfred University in Metal and Hot Glass sculpture in 1994, after training as a welder in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was a student of Michael Scheiner, Dante Marioni, and Ann Wahlstrom at Pilchuck Glass School, and studied with Maestro Lino Tagliapietra at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. In addition to creating her own work, Elek has assisted glass artists such as Dale Chihuly, Kiki Smith, Preston Singletary, and Tagliapietra, on whose team she worked as a key member for 15 years. A vibrant contemporary glass artist, she exhibits alongside artists of other mediums, breaking some of the barriers that have kept glass in the realm of craft and offering it as a worthy medium of contemporary art. A member of the Northwest artist community, Elek's involvement in art organizations includes: Pilchuck Glass School, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Hilltop Artists, and as a guest lecturer at the University of Washington in Seattle. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Tacoma Art Museum, Pittsburgh Glass Center, and Traver Gallery in Seattle. Elek maintains a studio in south Seattle with husband Jeremy Bert, a Pacific Northwest neon artist with whom she collaborated on their project Illuminated Forest as well as a permanent public installation titled The Illuminated Palouse for the Port of Seattle, located near the D gates at SeaTac International Airport. Utilizing blown furnace glass, Elek creates sculptural objects that display the material's ability to reflect, magnify and represent bold color. Traditional and innovative processes combine in her work to create colorful landscapes of glass. In the spring of 2017, she was awarded the Pilchuck Artist at Work Residency where she developed a new body of work titled Visual Fun, which highlighted the infallibility and vibrant colors of glass.  Elek has traveled to Canada, Japan, Australia, and throughout the United States teaching glassblowing workshops. In 2026 she will be an instructor at Tulsa Glassblowing School, Tulsa, Oklahoma, May 14 – 19, residency May 20 – 23; at UrbanGlass, Brooklyn, New York, June 23 – 27; and at the Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, August 31 – September 5. She will be a gaffer at Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington, July 9 – 26.  

John Williams talks to Kate Lieto, Vice President of Marketing for Experience Grand Rapids, about why Grand Rapids is emerging as a top spring getaway. They highlight the city's major riverfront transformation, a new downtown amphitheater, and the upcoming Dale Chihuly exhibition at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park—all helping make the city a vibrant hub for arts, entertainment, and outdoor experiences. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8256690/8256690_2026-04-14-173630.64kmono.mp3 Learn more […]

John Williams talks to Kate Lieto, Vice President of Marketing for Experience Grand Rapids, about why Grand Rapids is emerging as a top spring getaway. They highlight the city's major riverfront transformation, a new downtown amphitheater, and the upcoming Dale Chihuly exhibition at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park—all helping make the city a vibrant hub for arts, entertainment, and outdoor experiences. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8256690/8256690_2026-04-14-173630.64kmono.mp3 Learn more […]

John Williams talks to Kate Lieto, Vice President of Marketing for Experience Grand Rapids, about why Grand Rapids is emerging as a top spring getaway. They highlight the city's major riverfront transformation, a new downtown amphitheater, and the upcoming Dale Chihuly exhibition at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park—all helping make the city a vibrant hub for arts, entertainment, and outdoor experiences. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8256690/8256690_2026-04-14-173630.64kmono.mp3 Learn more […]

Dale Chihuly is an incredibly gifted artist, but AFAWCT he has never appeared in the grid of the NYTimes crossword. Consequently, it was most gratifying to at least see his name in a clue,  specifically 29A, Like the glass in many a Dale Chihuly sculpture, FUSED. Today's episode includes a bit more about Dale, as well as, oh, yes, the rest of the crossword, and a terrific Fun Fact Friday segment. So, have a listen, and, as always, please tell others about us on social media.Show note imagery: Dale Chihuly's Mendota Wall, a brilliant work of art at his alma matter, the University of Wisconsin Madison.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend is an artist for whom ideas have always been more important than media, and possibly more integral to her work. It's interesting then that her art has been consistently viewed through the lens of glass. In the creation of her early X series to more recent Calendar Notations, she has pioneered techniques such as non-traditional, unfired painting on glass, mixing glass with other media, and presenting painted, decorated glass on the wall in reflected light. Throughout her career, the artist distilled her own life experiences in the creation of progressive and experimental work.  While studying Fine Arts at the University of Texas, Austin, in 1973, Stinsmuehlen-Amend was serendipitously introduced to glass and went on to become partner with Rodney Smith and designer of Renaissance Glass, an architectural glass studio. Beyond teaching and employing 14 artists, she built a creative hub that included studio space, glass supplies, a hot glass studio, education and exhibitions. Understanding the cutting edge in the field, Stinsmuehlen-Amend invited luminaries in the Studio Glass movement such as Dale Chihuly, Paul Marioni, William Morris, and Narcissus Quagliata, among others, to lecture and teach in the early 1980s. The studio became the center for contemporary glass in Texas from 1973 to 1987. While balancing single motherhood, donating time to the arts, and running her business, she became the Glass Art Society's first woman president (1984 – '86).  Concurrent with designing stained glass commissions, Stinsmuehlen-Amend was determined to make the craft form a means for personal expression. Through experimentation and rebellion and influenced by the local punk scene, her radical fashion designer best friend, Pattern & Decoration and Neo-Expressionism in art, as well as innovations in the world of craft, her work became unrestrained, kinetic, glittery, and jarring—defiantly not "tasteful" or functional. Combining mixed media with glass was a new idea at the time. For Stinsmuehlen-Amend, the shifting qualities of glass itself—its capacity to reveal, obscure, reflect, and distort—became integral to how meaning unfolds. Rooted in stained glass's narrative tradition, her story emerged through her everyday stream of consciousness rooted in the surreal logic of dreams.  In 1987, Stinsmuehlen-Amend relocated to Los Angeles, where she became a full-time artist; solo exhibitions and dynamic public art commissions followed. She was the lead artist on the Hollywood Demonstration Project in Hollywood, completing a precast concrete crosswalk with inlaid glass and bronze and an adjunct wrought iron public space. In 1994, she completed leaded glass for the AT&T corporate headquarters and The Jewish Museum, both in in New York City. Throughout these decades, she maintained her commitment to teaching, returning to Pilchuck Glass School repeatedly (1980 to 2019) and serving as a visiting artist at RISD, RIT, Tyler School of Art, California College of the Arts, and numerous other institutions. Stinsmuehlen-Amend's work is included in major collections including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Detroit Institute of the Arts, Oakland Museum of California, Corning Museum of Glass, Tacoma Museum of Glass, and Museum of Art and Design. She has received two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, two Pilchuck Hauberg Fellowships, and the 2007 Brychtová Libenský Award. The artist served 14 years on Pilchuck's Board of Directors and is a Trustee Emeritus of The American Craft Council and an Honorary Life Member of the Glass Art Society. She was recently awarded by the American Craft Council with the biennial College of Fellows honor for contributions to the craft ecosystem. Opening on May 16, 2026, at the Corning Museum of Glass, Tough Stuff: Women in the American Glass Studio will feature Stinsmuehlen-Amend's work. This new exhibition celebrates the female artists who revolutionized American Studio glass. The artist states: "Many artists found my loose and inclusive approach to working with glass inspirational because I was continually violating preconceived notions about craft and glass specifically."  

Leslie Jackson Chihuly is an arts executive, philanthropist, and cultural leader dedicated to expanding access to the arts and supporting creative communities. As President and CEO of Chihuly Studio, she oversees the global operations of artist Dale Chihuly, guiding a body of work that spans museums, exhibitions, public installations, and cultural partnerships worldwide. She is also the co-founder of The Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation, which advances access, equity, and innovation in the arts.In this conversation, Leslie reflects on how art can build community, cultivate civility, and strengthen public life. She discusses sustaining a major artist's studio, aligning philanthropy with impact, and creating cultural experiences that invite participation rather than intimidation. Leslie also shares insights into leadership, legacy, and the role of art in fostering connection across generations and perspectives.This episode explores how creativity can shape more thoughtful communities — and why supporting the arts remains essential to a vibrant and humane society.

Michael (Mick) Meilahn's body of work, which includes glass sculpture and large glass and multi-media installations, intertwines the artist's investigation into agriculture, crop production, genetic food modification, and the ancient history of corn. Primordial Shift, a quintessential example of Meilahn's later installations, consisted of 32 hand-blown glass ears of corn averaging 4-feet high, suspended on stalks of cord with leaves of cast bronze on a backdrop of video projected to create an illusion of gentle swaying in the breeze and surround-sound audio that included the chirping of birds and rustling of leaves.  Since 2022, Meilahn's Primordial Shift exhibition has been touring the U.S. with stops at Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass (Neenah, Wis.), The John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science (Houston, Texas), South Dakota Art Museum at South Dakota State University (Brookings, S.D.) and the Rochester Art Center (Rochester, Minn.) from June 1 through September 30, 2025. Primordial Shift is a work of art. But underlying Meilahn's aesthetic is an agnostic, if not ambivalent, philosophy concerning agronomy or the crop science and the application of that science by horticulturists to plant production for the enhancement and improvement of nature for human and animal life. In that sense, Primordial Shift, along with most of the artist's other installations, are not agents for or of change, but artworks that illuminate the pros and cons of genetic modification. States Meilahn: "With today's sophisticated technology and global positioning, a 24-row corn planter can plant 1,000 acres a day with laser accuracy, 35,000 plants per acre with placement exactly 6" apart, and 1 3⁄4" deep. The instant the seed hits the ground, germination begins. That germination is as primal as it gets. It's everywhere! Just look. The shift part is engineered; with results that are all so convenient. Is this shift good? You decide."  Meilahn (b. 1945) grew up on a family farm near Pickett, in Central Wisconsin. After graduating in 1964 from high school in Ripon where he excelled in art, he entered the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to study agriculture. He subsequently switched his major to art, after he realized agri-business was not his passion. At UW River Falls he took his first course in glass, and in 1966 he started blowing glass. At this time, Harvey Littleton was running the studio glass program at UW Madison, made famous by a slew of glass graduates, the most famous being Dale Chihuly. As an undergraduate, Meilahn spent a quarter abroad working with glass legend Erwin Eisch in Frauenau, Germany, on the Bavaria/Czech border, an area with a rich tradition of glass making. After graduation in 1971, he spent a year in Bolivia as an idealistic Peace Corp volunteer intent on helping people in South America by sharing knowledge he'd learned from farming. Subsequently, he enrolled at Illinois State University, Normal, where Joel Philip Myers had begun a glass program and earned his Masters degree in art.   Ultimately, Meilahn's roots drew him back to his family's farm in 1975 where he and his wife, Jane, raised their children, and where he alternately operated the family farm and the hot glass studio he built. In time, his passion for art and farming became one-in-the-same as a form of creative expression. Since 1996, when he turned 50 and began planting genetic seed, Meilahn's artwork has focused on genetic modification, which has symbiotically shaped his life and work, both as an artist and a farmer. His installations afford viewers the opportunity to view and contemplate the production of corn from the dual perspective of an artist who knows the subject from life. For the past 15 years or so, this convergence has been the basis for a number of important works. Meilahn served as the President of The Board of Directors of the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass in Neenah, Wisconsin. He has taught at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina and The Archie Bray Foundation in Montana. His work has been exhibited in the traveling museum exhibitions, Wisconsin's Glass Masters and Environmental Impact, produced by David J. Wagner, L.L.C., the annual Smithsonian Craft Show, and at The Corning Museum of Glass, which has also featured the artist's work in its New Glass Review for over four decades. Meilahn says: "An ear of corn is the point of convergence for my dual careers in farming and art. Corn is not a typical subject in art. But for me, the lines, rows, numbers, higher prices, lower prices, color spectrums, mapping, information technology, air masses, and species have all combined to have unwittingly become a catalyst for my art."        

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On this episode of Big Blend Radio's “Food, Wine & Travel” Show travel writer Linda Kissam, the “Food, Wine & Shopping Diva,” shares her final boating adventure of the 2025 season, exploring the South Sound region of Washington State. This engaging conversation dives into the vibrant boating culture of the Pacific Northwest, from the benefits of yacht club membership—like social connections and reciprocal mooring—to the fun of flotillas and the unique character of different marinas, ranging from well-appointed to rustic. Linda also highlights memorable wildlife encounters with seals, sea lions, and birds, as well as the influence of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly in the area. The episode celebrates the natural and cultural treasures of the region, from the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge to the joy of harvesting local produce that defines the Pacific Northwest lifestyle.

This episode of Big Blend Radio's 3rd Monday “Food, Wine & Travel” Show with the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), celebrates American Adventures Month with travel writer and author Peggy Cleveland, who discusses the second edition of her book "100 Things to Do in Tacoma Before You Die" (Reedy Press, Sept. 1, 2025). Often overshadowed by nearby Seattle, Tacoma shines with its blend of mountain, city, and sea—offering a rare mix of culture, adventure, and community spirit. Peggy's book highlights hidden gems, cultural attractions, culinary delights, and outdoor activities, with insider itineraries and tips for exploring all that Tacoma, Washington has to offer.

This evening we explore reasons why the Torah prohibits not only false words by empty words, using Mishb'tzei Shlomo. From Rav Aharon Lichtenstein we learn the purpose of appreciating every stop along the journey from Egypt to Israel using the analogy of a car rental, and every stop in our lives, not just the end goal. We then try to convey what cannot be conveyed in words - our feelings and mood as we approach Tisha B'Av, our national day of mourning for the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash, first and second, and so much more. We do this with magnificent and evocative art by Dale Chihuly, and wonderful stories by Sarah Tuttle-Singer. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FLcsC6xz5TmkirT1qObkA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mining-the-riches-of-the-parsha/id1479615142?fbclid=IwAR1c6YygRR6pvAKFvEmMGCcs0Y6hpmK8tXzPinbum8drqw2zLIo7c9SR-jc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG5GR8zygw4ZNsSmO Please contact Rabbi Whitman (rabbi@adath.ca) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.

Jason Christian's work pushes the boundaries of his craft, combining the delicate complexity of reticello with intricate detailing inspired by Fabergé eggs. Through series such as his Bumbershoots and Yo-Yos that reflect classic Venetian technique to more sculptural works including Dragons and Volpe, Christian's art is deeply influenced by his family, personal experiences, and the nostalgia of growing up in the Pacific Northwest. A renowned glass artist based in the Seattle area, Christian was born in 1976 on Whidbey Island, Washington, to a metal fabricator and a cardiac nurse. His artistic journey began at the age of 21 when he was introduced to glassblowing as a factory charger, where he gradually developed his skills and knowledge through hands-on experience. His formal education in glassblowing includes workshops and classes with notable artists such as Pino Signoretto, Jeff Mack, Janusz Pozniak and Preston Singletary. Throughout his career, Christian has worked with numerous well-known artists in the Seattle glass community, including Martin Blank, Preston Singletary, James Mongrain and Nancy Callan. Since 2008, Christian has been an integral member of Dale Chihuly's Boathouse team, working with international artists like Pino Signoretto. He has also served as a glassblowing assistant to Lino Tagliapietra since 2014 and worked as a fabricator for Lindsey Adelman from 2014 to 2016. Says Christian: “I still don't know if I chose glassblowing or if it chose me. I just knew that the moment I walked into that studio and saw what was being created I had to be a part of it. Finding glassblowing felt magical, like I was made for it. It provided something I lacked in my younger years – the urge to create, grow, and express myself through my work. To witness a person handle molten glass, manipulate it, and form it as if it were water was amazing to me. I knew that I had to be a part of it.” Christian has participated in numerous artist residencies, including: FOCI, Minneapolis, MI (2019); Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY (2019); Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA (multiple years); Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA (2016 and 2008); University of Texas at Arlington (2015); and the University of Wisconsin-Steven's Point (2015). He was Auction Centerpiece Designer at Schack Art Center, Everett, WA, in 2016 and 2010. His work is featured in several notable collections including the Hauberg collection, the Elton John collection, the Ben Bridge collection and many more private collections in the United States and Canada. With a desire to share his expertise through teaching and demonstrations, Christian has conducted workshops at various institutions including Penland School of Craft (2019); Pittsburgh Glass Center (2019); Pratt Fine Arts Center (2018); Pilchuck Glass School (2017); Urban Glass (2016); and Seattle Glassblowing Studio (2010-2013); He has also been a demonstrating artist in Turkey (2015) and Finland (2009). Christian states: “Beyond my relationship with glass, the camaraderie within the industry enticed me to grow beyond myself, always looking for what was within and turning that into something I could only see in my mind. It created an environment of growth and exploration, pushing me to be a better artist.” Upcoming Christian workshops include Penland School of Craft, August 10 – 15; Hilltop @ Pilchuck, September 28; and Neusole Glassworks, Forest Park, Ohio, November 17.  

It's This Week in Bourbon for June 20th 2025. Whiskey House and The Koetter Group will build 12 state-of-the-art rickhouses, Maker's Mark has announced a new exhibition by contemporary artist Dale Chihuly, and Dierks Bentley is introducing ROW 94 Broken Branches.Show Notes: Bourbon & Beyond announces culinary and spirits lineup for 2025 festival. Whiskey House of Kentucky partners with Koetter Group to build 12 new K-RAX rickhouses. Former Oregon liquor head fined $1,500 for diverting rare bourbon. Give 270 to host Bourbon Strong 50-4-50 raffle featuring Booker's Single Barrel. High West Distillery partners with Luke Grimes for 'Protect the West' initiative. Green River Distilling Co. debuts U.S. Army 250th Anniversary Bourbon with airborne delivery. Maker's Mark announces Dale Chihuly art exhibition and expanded culinary program at Star Hill Farm. Old Forester launches new Bourbon-infused Cocktail Cherries. Blue Note Bourbon introduces its first Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey. Dierks Bentley's ROW 94 launches "Broken Branches" bourbon with unique "Branch Aging" process. Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once in a while you come across somebody and you realize in that moment they're an important figure in art history, and maybe their story hasn't been told yet. In this case, I don't think it really has.You see, my guest today is Shahrokh Rezvani and he's a very interesting man to say the least. What makes him so interesting is this journey that he's had with people like Fritz Scholder and Dale Chihuly and working with them to create monotypes, cyanotypes, and all sorts of different kinds of prints.He came to my booth at Scottsdale Ferrari Art Week and I could see him looking at the work by Fritz Scholder that I was showing. I could tell there was a connection, and not a connection in the way you might see with a collector or an acolyte even... but a different kind of connection.I approached him and asked if he knew Scholder personally. He said back to me: ”oh, yeah, he was a great person. I knew Fritz and I knew him well." I said “okay, well, tell me about it.” After that he spoke to me all about Fritz and their working relationship from 1977 to 1993. Fast forward to today and Shahrokh is at that age where health can be a problem. I said, well, I want to come up to your house and I want to hear the rest of the story, hence this podcast. Now you'll get to hear the story of this wonderful journey of this man's life as an artist and as a master printmaker.He makes wonderful art himself and I hope that this podcast is as intriguing for you as it was for me. I think this is the type of interview that's going to be used when people tell the story of Fritz Scholder and that connection and collaboration, that he had with Shahrokh. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Shahrokh Rezvani on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 344.

Send us a textHow does a farm kid turned basketball champ end up digging graves and wrangling wildlife in Kirkland's parks? This week, Parks Superintendant Jason Filan shares his 35-year journey from seasonal worker to seasoned pro. PLUS the wackiest things he's encountered on the job—including a Dale Chihuly sculpture, surprise wildlife, and tasks you'd never expect. Also on the show: federal and military professionals should check out Kirkland Police Department for your next gig. Get $5,000 rebates for smarting your yard. Celebrating Women's Leadership. Stay up to date on the City Council agenda. Get ready for boating season. And more.  Show note links: www.kirklandwa.gov/podcast#20250327

In this episode of the Blue Rain Gallery Podcast, host Leroy Garcia welcomes glass artist Spooner Marcus to the studio. Spooner, a new addition to the Blue Rain Gallery artist roster, shares his journey as a glass artist, beginning with a serendipitous discovery of glassblowing after high school in his hometown of Española, New Mexico. He discusses his early experiences working in a makeshift hot shop and how his passion for the craft grew over the years. Spooner reflects on pivotal moments in his career, including collaborations with notable artists like Tony Jojola and Ira Lujan, and encounters with renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. Now working at Prairie Dog Glass in Santa Fe, Spooner has honed his craft for over two decades, evolving his style and refining his techniques. This insightful conversation is accompanied by a showcase of Spooner's intricate glassworks, demonstrating his creativity and dedication to the art form. Tune in to explore the vibrant world of Native glass art and the journey of an artist keeping the movement alive. https://blueraingallery.com/artists/spooner-marcus The Blue Rain Gallery Podcast is hosted by Leroy Garcia, produced by Leah Garcia, and edited by Brandon Nelson, with music by Mozart Gabriel Abeyta.

Thank you for listening to this track produced by the Art Gallery of South Australia. Timed to coincide with Chihuly in the Botanic Garden, hear about AGSA's glass collection with Rebecca Evans, Curator of Decorative Arts and Design. For more information visit agsa.sa.gov.au Image: Installation view: Imperial iris Persian pear by Dale Chihuly, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; photo: Saul Steed.

This week the Filipina artist Goldie Poblador who works in scent and glass interactive instillation art.  Goldie specializes in glass flameworking combined with performance, video, installation, and scent embodying themes of feminism, the environment, and decolonization as it relates to the body.  Goldie was born in Manila, The Philippines in 1987. Her parents; Napoleon Poblador, a lawyer and painter and Gizela Poblador, a home-maker who had earlier studied dentistry. Goldie is the eldest of four children; she has three younger brothers. She was, she says, an imaginative child who enjoyed creating worlds and performing. Her parents exposed her to art and music; she visited art shows, galleries and museums, learned the piano, and performed in a drama club. By the age of 18 Goldie was performing in a Punk band; something she likes to recreate today for fun. But it was her fascination with glass and painting that would steer her through college. She graduated from the University of The Philippines in 2009 with a BFA in Studio Art and later with an MFA Glass from the Rhode Island School of Design. Between colleges Goldie was introduced to the Scuola Abate Zanetti in Murano, Italy. She also worked as an artist and attended the Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle, co-founded by the renown glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.  Goldie has been exhibited internationally at such institutions as the Yangon Secretariat Building Knockdown Center, Cemeti Art House, Singapore Art Museum, Bangkok Art and Culture Center, Fine Art Museum of Hanoi and The Cultural Center of the Philippines. She is currently working on a show for the Art Fair in The Philippines in 2025. Goldie will be a featured artist in the Sensorium, Stories of Glass and Fragrance; an exhibition that will explore the millennia-long relationships between glass, perfumery, and the storage of scent, at the Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) from September 7, 2024 - February 1, 2025.  Goldie is married to Joseph Sousa and the couple live in New York City. https://goldiepoblador.com/InformationInstagram: @_goldieland https://www.instagram.com/_goldieland Goldie's favorite female artists:Janine AntoniAgnes ArellanoJoan JonasCamille ClaudelKiki SmithHost: Chris StaffordProduced by Hollowell StudiosFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramAART on FacebookEmail: hollowellstudios@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wisp--4769409/support.

This week the Filipina artist Goldie Poblador who works in scent and glass interactive instillation art.  Goldie specializes in glass flameworking combined with performance, video, installation, and scent embodying themes of feminism, the environment, and decolonization as it relates to the body.  Goldie was born in Manila, The Philippines in 1987. Her parents; Napoleon Poblador, a lawyer and painter and Gizela Poblador, a home-maker who had earlier studied dentistry. Goldie is the eldest of four children; she has three younger brothers. She was, she says, an imaginative child who enjoyed creating worlds and performing. Her parents exposed her to art and music; she visited art shows, galleries and museums, learned the piano, and performed in a drama club. By the age of 18 Goldie was performing in a Punk band; something she likes to recreate today for fun. But it was her fascination with glass and painting that would steer her through college. She graduated from the University of The Philippines in 2009 with a BFA in Studio Art and later with an MFA Glass from the Rhode Island School of Design. Between colleges Goldie was introduced to the Scuola Abate Zanetti in Murano, Italy. She also worked as an artist and attended the Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle, co-founded by the renown glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.  Goldie has been exhibited internationally at such institutions as the Yangon Secretariat Building Knockdown Center, Cemeti Art House, Singapore Art Museum, Bangkok Art and Culture Center, Fine Art Museum of Hanoi and The Cultural Center of the Philippines. She is currently working on a show for the Art Fair in The Philippines in 2025. Goldie will be a featured artist in the Sensorium, Stories of Glass and Fragrance; an exhibition that will explore the millennia-long relationships between glass, perfumery, and the storage of scent, at the Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) from September 7, 2024 - February 1, 2025.  Goldie is married to Joseph Sousa and the couple live in New York City.  https://goldiepoblador.com/InformationInstagram: @_goldieland https://www.instagram.com/_goldieland Goldie's favorite female artists:Janine AntoniAgnes ArellanoJoan JonasCamille ClaudelKiki SmithHost: Chris StaffordProduced by Hollowell StudiosFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramAART on FacebookEmail: hollowellstudios@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/aart--5814675/support.

In today's episode, the Wadsworth's Krieble Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture Erin Monroe returns to talk about material culture in the exhibition and why the inclusion of Dan Friday's glass piece, Aunt Fran's Basket, was so special. Then Friday joins host Drew Baron for an interview discussing his work, heritage, and the world of glass art. Friday has worked with some of the biggest names in the medium — Paul Marioni, Preston Singletary, and since 2000, he has worked at Dale Chihuly's renowned studio, The Boathouse. He's taught at the University of Washington, Pilchuck Glass School, and the Haystack Craft Center in Maine. Friday was also featured as a contestant on season three of Blown Away, Netflix's hit glass art competition show. His work fuses glass with inspiration from his Coast Salish cultural heritage, utilizing forms such as bears, salmon, totems, and baskets. The (Un)Settled Podcast is a multipart special presentation of the Binder Podcast dedicated to the traveling exhibition (Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art. Part of a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional exhibition partnership formed by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art as part of the Art Bridges Cohort Program. You can find a full transcript of today's episode here: https://www.columbiamuseum.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/UnSettled%20Ep%202%20Transcript.pdf

We're excited to kick off a special three-part podcast series “Celebrating Seattle” in collaboration with Visit Seattle. Our friend Jeannette Ceja, an award-winning bilingual travel journalist and TV host, joins TWM podcast host Mike Schibel to explore some of Seattle's iconic attractions and connect with small business owners in the vibrant Hispanic, Latino, and BIPOC communities. Our adventure in Seattle took place during the cozy season, arguably one of the best times to visit the Pacific Northwest with its mellow vibes, lush scenery, and welcoming locals. Never heard of the cozy season? We suggest giving it a try—we loved it! In part one of “Celebrating Seattle,” we explore some of Seattle's most iconic and well-known attractions, including Pike Place Market, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Space Needle. For over a hundred years, Pike Place Market has been a staple in Seattle and a top attraction for travelers. During our visit, we explored three Hispanic and Latino-owned restaurants: Maíz, Copacabana, and Los Agaves, serving authentic cuisines from Mexico and Bolivia. Copacabana was the first Bolivian restaurant in the western United States when it opened over sixty years ago. In the second part of the episode, we talk with Randy Cote from the Space Needle and neighboring Chihuly Garden and Glass. We were mesmerized by the work of the famed glassblower and Tacoma, Washington native Dale Chihuly. You've probably seen Chihuly's work around the world, but walking through Chihuly Garden and Glass is an enchanting experience. Sitting in the famed Chihuly Glasshouse, looking up at the Space Needle, we learned the connection between these two landmarks was enhanced in 2018 when the first-of-its-kind revolving glass floor was installed one floor below the upper observation level of the Space Needle. Visitors now have two incredible views of Seattle and the surrounding areas—from looking out at Mount Rainier, Puget Sound, and the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, to looking down them at the different neighborhoods of Seattle. Many travelers also noticed the Chihuly Garden and Glass right next door. It was pretty cool to look up at the bottom of the Space Needle from inside the Glasshouse and then look through the top of the Glasshouse from the top of the Space Needle. Travel tip: have lunch at The Bar at Chihuly Garden and Glass, which sources incredible local dishes and cocktails and displays many of Dale Chihuly's unique collections. A big thank you to all the amazing people we met: Kathy (Maíz), Vivian (Copacabana), Chef Jaime (Los Agaves), and Randy from the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass. Thank you to our partners on this series, Visit Seattle, for coordinating our adventure, and the wonderful Jeannette Ceja. For all your Seattle travel details and cozy season packages, visit VisitSeattle.org Stay tuned for part two of Celebrating Seattle!

Craig and Geoffrey talk about Dale Chihuly, Estonia, and Applebee's. Get your tickets now for The Loosey Goosey Tour! - http://craigconant.com/shows/   Check out Geoffrey's Special here! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3vSW95zhfs   Get some Colors, and get your mind right! https://colorsgummies.net/ Discount code: loosey15   Follow Geoffrey! YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/GeoffreyAsmus IG - https://www.instagram.com/geoffreyatm/ Website - https://www.whitecomedian.com/ Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/youreanidiotpod TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@geoffreyatm   Follow Craig! TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@craigpconant/ IG - https://instagram.com/craigpconant/ Merch - https://craigconantstore.com/ Komi - https://craigconant.komi.io/   Small Business Plugs: Need a natural, holistic facial or some Ayurvedic healing? Contact Cynthia at Ritual Skin and Soul: https://instagram.com/livecynplyayurveda/ https://instagram.com/ritualskinandsoul/ PV Coin Exchange - https://palosverdescoinexchange.com/ Deadlight Visions Graphic Design - https://instagram.com/deadlightvisions/ Donny Honcho's Healthy Pet Products - https://linktr.ee/localdogdaddy Swank Hank's Handmade EDC - https://swankhanks.com/ Glitch Pudding, Acrylic Artist - https://instagram.com/glitchpudding/ Hoobs Glass Art - https://www.hoobsglass.net/   Craig's Holistic Doctors: Dr. Jay - https://www.instagram.com/100yearsjay/ PBC Health - https://www.instagram.com/pbchealthwellness/   Robert Kiyosaki - Liabilities to Assets - https://youtube.com/watch?v=A8vD_XO0vUU   Healing affirmations: Louise Hay - https://youtu.be/lz16YqpWkz4 Wayne Dyer - https://youtu.be/44ImQV46lF4 Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life - https://youtube.com/watch?v=14JxE7i0EPc   Craig's favorite healers: Esther Hicks (AKA Abraham Hicks) Joe Dispenza Bruce Lipton Dr. Sebi   Also shout out to these light workers giving out that lost knowledge: Dr. Delbert Blair Dolores Cannon Santos Bonnaci 

By now, North Carolina's reputation as an arts destination is well known, but did you know that it played a significant role in the history of the Studio Glass Movement in America? Since Harvey Littleton first moved to the area in the late 1970s, Western North Carolina has cultivated a thriving community of glass makers and supporting organizations. Today, we speak to Candace Reilly, who has been an active member of the arts community in Asheville for almost a decade and currently serves as Executive Director of Asheville's largest public-access glass studio and gallery, the North Carolina (NC) Glass Center. As an advocate with a fervent commitment to nurturing creative talent, Candace believes that integrated arts education is critical for a more enriched and socially cohesive community. In today's episode, she gives us a glimpse into the history of glass and how the NC Glass Center is not only upholding traditions but democratizing the future of studio glass practice for an ever-expanding community of glass artists! Tune in for all this and more in another fascinating installment of the Artsville Podcast.Key Points From This Episode:An overview of Candace's background and her role at the NC Glass Center.Insight into the history of glass and glass artists in North Carolina.How you can learn about glass at the NC Glass Center.What to expect from the Dale Chihuly exhibition at Biltmore Estate.The explosive growth that led to NC Glass Center's second location in Black Mountain.Different ways that NC Glass Center generates income (and how you can support them!)Where you can find the NC Glass Center online and how to contact them.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:North Carolina (NC) Glass Center — https://www.ncglasscenter.org/“Glass on the Go" — https://www.ncglasscenter.org/mobile-unitNC Glass Center on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/ncglasscenter/NC Glass Center on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/NorthCarolinaGlassCenter/Chihuly at Biltmore — https://www.biltmore.com/things-to-do/events/chihuly-at-biltmore/Art Connections — https://www.arttoursasheville.com/Mountain BizWorks — https://www.mountainbizworks.org/Craft Your Commerce — https://www.mountainbizworks.org/craft-your-commerce/Ferguson Family YMCA — https://ymcawnc.org/locations/centers/ferguson‘Community Art, Friendship, and Healing: Artsville's Partnership with the Ferguson Family YMCA in Candler' — https://www.artsvilleusa.com/community-art-friendship-and-healing-artsvilles-partnership-with-the-ferguson-family-ymca-in-candler/Artsville Podcast —

Said Blown Away Season 4 winner, Morgan Peterson, “I'm not just the creepy weirdo lurking in the background anymore. I'm right up front.” As champion of Netflix's 2024 glassblowing competition series, the Seattle-based artist received a whopping cash prize of $100,000, a paid residency in Venice, Italy, with glass legend Adriano Berengo, and a residency at the world-renowned Corning Museum of Glass. Growing up in Boston, MA, Peterson's watched horror films and Unsolved Mysteries with her Godmother, introducing her to the unnerving  and creepy style so associated with her unique work that uses metaphor and imagery to address themes of pop culture and addiction. On Blown Away 4, from her initial bathtub-toaster combo titled Best Friends to a knife thrower's impeccably made knives, black and white targets, and puddles of blood to her unforgettable monster mushroom, dark humor and twisted style set Peterson's work apart- not just from other artists on the show, but from other artists making work in glass today. Her final gallery, 6 Crime Scenes, included 80 glass objects and was described by guest evaluator Berengo as “fresh, new, and very contemporary.” The crime scene installation was based on six murders that occurred in Chicago during the 1920s and inspired by the artist's obsession with the musical Chicago. Peterson graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a dual degree in 2006. Upon completion of her degrees, she relocated to Seattle, WA, to pursue a career and continue her education and advancement in the arts. She has worked for many notable artists including Buster Simpson and Bruce Mau, and is a full-time team member for Dale Chihuly. Heavily involved with Pratt Fine Arts and Pilchuck Glass School, she is not only a member of the staff but also an instructor.  Included in The Young Glass Exhibition, hosted by the Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, which is an international competition that only occurs once a decade, Peterson has also participated in multiple group shows in 2019, including Pittsburgh Glass Center, The Habatat Invitational, CHROMA (Nashville, TN), Traver Gallery (Seattle, WA), REFRACT (Seattle's Glass Art Fair), and the Irish Glass Biennale (Dublin also in 2023). In 2020 and 2022, the artist exhibited virtual solo shows through Habatat in Royal Oaks, MI. Her first in person solo exhibition was held at Method Gallery, Seattle, WA, in October 2021. Since winning Blown Away 4, Peterson says she has been “very busy in the best ways possible.” Her latest work will be on view in Once Upon a Crime In Hollywood, opening Saturday, April 13, 6 p.m. -10 p.m. at the new Nathie Katzoff Art Gallery, 8900 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood. PLEASE RSVP – info@nathiekatzoff.com. Her Corning residency takes place April 22 – 28, and she'll participate in a group show at Traver Gallery in Seattle this October.  

Ever caught yourself trying to live your life like a curated Instagram gallery, each 'perfect' moment on display? This episode is dedicated to why we need to start tearing down that gallery wall.Like Mekiya Outini said on Tuesday's episode, the actual trauma is telling ourselves that life is perfect. Nothing is perfect! Yet, all external signals from society have taught us that to be valuable and worthy,  we have to be perfect. This is a complete lie.It's a lie that I have struggled with this myself – this striving to be perfect. At times, I have definitely wrapped my own self worth into the version of myself I wished I was, instead of simply accepting myself exactly as I am.That's why I take time in this episode to pull a thread from Mekiya's comment and unravel the concept of radical responsibility and how it can lead to genuine liberation.The cracks in our personal veneer are essential to our story's beauty, and I hope this episode invites you to breathe through the bounds of perfectionism and let your imperfect beauty shine. Nothing in nature is perfect. In fact, it's the imperfections that make every flower gorgeous. Journaling questions for this episode:Where might I be trying to fill in a hole? Where can I let nature be, exactly as it's intended to exist? Where in my life can I let myself love one of those little "natural holes" in my life, exactly as it is?Listen to this episode to hear:How taking radical responsibility for where you are can help you let go of perfectionism.Why your imperfections are a masterpiece.How to embrace the beauty of your life, exactly as it is.Mentioned in this episode:Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle, WAYouTube video showing a bit about Chihuly's creative processSupport the showJoin Brilliant Breathwork, the monthly membership offering multiple weekly live breathwork sessions with Jen and other trauma-informed facilitators, an extensive vault of replays, and a supportive community for authentic, creative, and radiant growth. Other ways you can support: Share an episode and tag Jen on Instagram @untetheredjen Follow/subscribe to get updates of new episodes Leave a review! Connect with Jen JenLiss.com @untetheredjen Music created and produced by Matt Bollenbach

Working Artists! You are not alone! Listen to these entertaining and inspirational podcast conversations with working artists.When Christopher Jefferies caught the glassblowing bug in high school, he charted a course that would ultimately result in building his own glass shop by "paying his dues." From working on Dale Chihuly's team to sleeping on the floor of a Czech hot shop, Christopher immersed himself in the fast-paced environment of production glass studios that created hundreds of pieces daily. Once he launched his own studio, his work evolved into multiple-element wall installations on a large scale. Christopher talks about going after those "big fish" on the art festival scene and how he navigates his unique career. https://jeffriesglass.com/#blownglassart  #residentialwallart #lagunabeachglassartist #modernwallart #customglassartdecor #art  #corporateart  #homedecor #chihuly #glassinstallation #wallglass #studioglassmovement #glassartist #interiorstylehunter #designerwallart #homestaging #crystalglass #sculpture #artistinspiration #independentartist #independentartistpodcast #indieartspod #artistpath #artistpodcast #artistconversations #artistprocess #workingartist  #contemporarycraft  #artisticvision #youtubepodcast Visual artists Douglas Sigwarth https://www.sigwarthglass.com/ and Will Armstrong http://www.willarmstrongart.com/ co-host and discuss topics affecting working artists. Each episode is a deep dive into a conversation with a guest artist who shares their unique experiences as an independent professional artist. In today's preamble, we discuss going to Miami, being an ADHD artist, and making money off your art that is meant to help a cause. The link to the article about corporate filing https://news.artnet.com/art-world/corporate-transparency-act-impacts-self-employed-artists-2417585File your Beneficial Ownership Information here https://www.fincen.gov/boiFOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram https://www.instagram.com/independentartistpodcast/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/independentartistpodcastWebsite https://www.sigwarthglass.com/independentartistpodcast.htmlYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@theindependentartistpodcastMailing List  http://eepurl.com/hwQn7bEmail independentartistpodcast@gmail.comPLEASE RATE US AND REVIEW US.......... and SUBSCRIBE to the pod on your favorite streaming app.SUPPORT THE SHOWVENMO/ username @independentartistpodcast or through PAYPAL.ME by clicking on this link https://paypal.me/independentartistpod?locale.x=en_USSponsorsThe National Association of Independent Artists (NAIA). http://www.naiaartists.org/membership-account/membership-levels/ZAPPlication https://www.zapplication.orgMusic  "Walking" by Oliver LearBusiness inquiries at theoliverlear@gmail.comSupport the show

Hey Hey Hey Friends, Foes, Formaldehyde it's us. We are slow. At making this podcast but aren't we cute when we just post it on up outta nowhere? Skippers you should move along to about 25 mins in so you don't get irrationally angry about how long we take to get to the good stuff. And good it is my people. Neysa kicks us off with some short and sweet details about one sick bruh, Johannes Vermeer a guy from Delft, Netherlands who painted his home town a grand total of 36 times. You know Delft? The hottest place around. After this Jocelyn gets into the controversial contemporary glass artist Dale Chihuly. You like chandeliers? Because ho boy do we got some chandeliers for you. Tune in to hear us discuss these home boys and as always head to our insta for some reference pics from the episode. Live, Laugh, Lobotomy. ~ Jocelyn & Neysa --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/iminoredinarthistorypod/support

Join my online school for eBay sellers here. Use coupon code 2022FREETRIAL$ for a limited free trial.Email your comments, feedback, and constructive criticism to me at Suzanne@SuzanneAWells.comGet your BOLO Books in my eBay Store here. Book a consulting session here.Join my private Facebook group here.Find me on YouTube here.Visit my website here.Happy Selling!Support the show

When "Bond King" Bill Gross bought his girlfriend a $1 million sculpture by the famed glass artist Dale Chihuly to display in the backyard of their Laguna Beach home, he had no idea that it would set off a bitter, years-long feud with his neighbors over their view of the Pacific Ocean. This is a story of what happens when the ultra-wealthy go to war... with each other.Too Much Money is hosted and produced by Jo Piazza and Doree Shafrir. Music by Lisa Brenner. Email us at toomuchmoneypodcast@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From his studio in Dania Beach, Florida, Rob Stern creates his signature Windstar sculptures, dedicated to his father, a consummate stargazer fascinated by cosmic phenomena. Stern was also inspired by his surname, which means star in German. The artist often names his stars to reveal their celestial spheres. Copernica is derived from Copernicus, visible in the evening sky over Miami Beach. Polaris, known as the North Star, is the brightest in the constellation of Ursa Minor. Antares is the 15th brightest star in the night sky and is part of the constellation Scorpius. Other Windstar titles conjure colors and experiences, such as Red Dawn, which takes its name from a glowing red center or Modra, the Czech word for blue. Stern's Windstars are a testament to his deep understanding of glass and belief that the material takes him where it wants to go during the making process. Another iconic body of work, Stern's Stilettos, was inspired by his wife's vast collection of designer shoes that includes Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, and Alexander McQueen. However, these glass slippers are even more extreme with wild bejeweled designs that could make even Lady Gaga swoon.  Stern states: “My creative endeavors and sculptures are mere stepping stones towards my search for understanding life. Harmonic instances between what I sense and do are the signals that guide me through my processes and prompt daily decisions. My works act as a communicative device which seeks to connect my thoughts and my actions to the collective human consciousness. A path seeking insight and enlightenment carries me forwards and always seems to bring me back to the glass.” His mother an art teacher and father a filmmaker, Stern attended Northside High School for Performing Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was part of an elite group that performed internationally. He later pursued visual arts, receiving a BFA from San Francisco State University (1989) and an MFA from the University of Miami (2003). Other glass training includes a five-year apprenticeship with John Lewis Glass, Oakland, California, where he trained to be a metal fabricator and expert glass caster/cold-worker. Stern went on to assist Czech master Petr Novotny and worked in the Czech glass factories as a designer/maker for two years. The artist also assisted or collaborated with many masters such as Dale Chihuly, William Morris, Martin Blank, Richard Royal, Richard Jolley, Dante Marioni, Therman Statom, Stanislav Libensky, Rene Roubicek, and Vladimir Klien, among many others. Lecturing at the University of Miami for 10 years, Stern also acted as interim professor at University of Texas Arlington in 2009. He has frequented the premier glass institutions, most notably Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington, for a 30-year consecutive run where he has taught, been a gaffer, TA, AA, and worked with the most notable international artists. Dedicated to education, the artist has also taught at the Corning Museum of Glass, New York; the Penland School of Craft, North Carolina; The Glass Furnace, Istanbul, Turkey; Bildwerk Frauenau, Germany; and Ways of Glass, Czech Republic. Stern designed and created many centerpiece collections for various institutions including Pilchuck in 2011, and he received the Amazon award for his Pilchuck auction piece in 2021. This year he has a prominent piece in Pilchuck's October Auction. Currently involved in long-term residencies at YZ Center for the Arts, China, and Bezaiten Arts Center in Lake Worth, Florida, Stern will serve as the future director of glass at The Dania Art Park, now in development. Meanwhile he and his team design and create original sculpture, architectural commissions, and unique lighting that has been commissioned, exhibited, and collected internationally. Recently, the artist participated in Habatat Gallery's Glass 51 exhibition, and several of his works were acquired by Imagine Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. Eighty of his pieces have become part of the permanent collection of the Weiner Museum of Decorative Arts (WMODA), Dania Beach, Florida. Says Stern: “My aesthetic resides at the crossroads where humans and nature intersect. Between organic and angular, a space connects the temporary man-made to the pre-existing and eternal cosmos. Here, we begin to measure our perspective and contemplate the perception of our place in the world as it is one that is always changing with the evolution of space, light, and time. I venture to capture moments with materials that speak to a fleeting sensibility of the permanence or importance of this balancing act. Color and form dictate emotion, and humanity is transcended as we reflect in the inherent rhythm and fractal patterning in this natural world. My constant observation of details persuades my attention to nuances in an attempt to mimic the complexity of its simplicity.”  Stern's work will be exhibited at Kittrell Riffkind in Dallas, Texas, in April 2024.  

Artist Sarah Verardo has an eye for detail and design. Originally from a small Rhode Island beach town, Sarah grew up in a home filled with art, and socialized regularly with artists from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. Her father, who briefly owned an art gallery, once brought five-year-old Sarah to Dale Chihuly's studio to watch him make art from blown glass. While a government major at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Sarah took her first painting class right before graduating. She applied her strong visual sense to marketing in fashion and home design, working for storied European fashion houses like Gucci from her New York City base. After 14 years, Sarah returned to Providence, where she picked up her paintbrush again. Her connection to the New England coast is clearly felt in the intricate details of her subject matter, which include seashells, flower petals and beach stones. Join our conversation with Sarah Verardo today on Radio Maine.

As a collaborative team, Dean Bensen and Demetra Theofanous create narrative pate de verre wall sculptures utilizing nature as a vehicle to communicate environmental challenges and metaphors for the human experience. Their work connects the viewer with the natural world and instills an appreciation for its interconnectedness to humanity and its inherent fragility.    Says Bensen and Theofanous: “Our decaying leaf installations reflect on our impermanence and vulnerability. What we do has impact – often unforeseen and unmeasured. A pile of leaves hit by a gust of wind is a metaphor for this uncertainty in our future. It expresses that pivotal moment of change, when things we took for granted are suddenly gone. Existing peacefully with others and protecting our natural resources is a tenuous balance, highlighting our interdependence on others and the earth.” Bensen and Theofanous work both independently and as a collaborative team. Their work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is represented in numerous private and public collections. Recent exhibitions include participating 2018 at the Ming Shangde Glass Museum in China, where they received an award from the Chinese government. Another large-scale leaf installation was on view 2022-‘23 in an exhibition at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum in Hartford, Connecticut, curated by Brandy Culp. Attending The College of Idaho, Bensen graduated with a BA in art in 1990. His fascination in glass started a hunger for what he had been missing since his youth, an immersion into the exploration and development of his creative side. Upon receiving his degree, he moved to Ketchum/Sun Valley, Idaho, where he continued working in glass at a local studio. In 1997, the artist returned to California to pursue glassblowing as a full-time career. Immersing himself in the Bay Area glass scene, Bensen began working for many local artists and teaching at places such as San Jose State University, Palo Alto High School, Corning Glass School, Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI), and Public Glass.  In 2002, Bensen developed a body of work that would become the foundation for his ideas based on the existence of the old growth redwood forest. Using both clear glass and color, he focused initially on environmental concerns. As his concepts evolved, Bensen's work grew further, investigating the life cycles in nature, their significance, and the interplay between the earth and various species. Each slice of murrine served to highlight one of nature's footprints, marking the passage of time and a glimpse of history, the rings of life in a felled tree. Bensen has taught extensively, received a scholarship to attend Pilchuck glass school, and his first solo show, Nature's Footprints, received a full-page review in the San Francisco Chronicle. His work has been widely exhibited, including at the Imagine Museum, San Francisco Airport Museum, San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, the Oakland Airport Museum, and the Ming Shangde Glass Museum in China. He has also worked on a team creating several projects for renowned artist Dale Chihuly, including an enormous chandelier in Dubai.  Theofanous was immersed in the arts from a very young age, but this thirst for expression was temporarily diverted when she received her business degree from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. She graduated and spent time working in San Francisco only to realize there was something missing in her work, and she needed to find a way to return to her creative roots. In 2004, Theofanous entered the medium of glass through flameworking and developed a method for weaving with glass that provides a continuing basis for narratives and investigation in her work. She also utilizes the ancient technique of pate de verre, which offers a detailed and painterly approach to casting that is well suited to creating hyper-realistic sculpture inspired by the natural world. Some of her sculptures now combine this cast glass technique with flameworked sculpture.  Theofanous has been internationally recognized for her woven glass nest and flora sculptures, and is included in numerous private collections, as well as in the permanent collection of the Racine Art Museum. Notable awards include: a Juror's Choice Award from renowned collector Dorothy Saxe, a merit award from Paul Stankard, a NICHE Award, a Juror's Choice Award at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, the Leigh Weimers Emerging Artist Grant, two juror awards from Carol Sauvion, Executive Producer of Craft in America, and an Award of Excellence juried by the Detroit Institute of the Arts in Habatat Gallery's 50th International Exhibiton . She has exhibited internationally, including at the Triennial of the Silicate Arts in Hungary, San Francisco Museum of Craft + Design, National Liberty Museum, Alexandria Museum of Art, and twice in the Crocker Art Museum's prestigious Crocker-Kingsley Biennial. As an educator she has taught at top institutions such as Pratt Fine Arts Center and Pittsburgh Glass Center. She serves as Board President of the Glass Alliance of Northern California, was as a Board Member of the Glass Art Society, and is the President of the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass. Theofanous and Bensen met in 2004, and their friendship soon evolved into a partnership, both in and outside of the studio. In 2017, during an artist residency at the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, they began to merge their sculptural works culminating with an exhibition of woven glass wall tapestries titled Intertwined. Their collaborative work is now represented by some of the country's finest galleries, has been exhibited at numerous museums, and is in the permanent collection of the Imagine Museum and the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation. Says Theofanous: “Technique merges with narratives in our work, to express metaphorical bridges between nature and human beings. Inspired by the storytelling tradition of woven tapestry and basketry, I see myself as weaving with glass to connect the viewer with the story of the natural world. Through the delicate leaves in each piece, I seek to depict the cycle of life: growth, discovery, change and renewal. I use the fluidity and fragility of glass to express the beauty and vulnerability inherent in the human experience.”  Theofanous and Bensen will have a solo exhibition at Trifecta Gallery in Lexington, Kentucky, in fall of 2023.  

With her unique sculptural works, Ann Wolff holds a distinguished place as one of the world's leading artists working with glass. She applies her strongly personal approach to bronze, aluminum and concrete sculpture, as well as to drawing, pastel work and photography. From April through October 2022, Prince Eugen's Waldemarsudde, one of Sweden's most popular art museums, presented a solo exhibition of Wolff's work in several techniques and media from the year 2000 until the present day. VOGUE Scandinavia nominated the show as one of the 10 best fall exhibitions in Scandinavia. It was also the largest showing of her work presented in Sweden. Wolff states: “I have seen my works in painting, stone, bronze, concrete, and glass as equal in status. Sometimes I feel that my strongest works might be in paper, charcoal and pastels.”  She continues: “I feel as a human being out of time. The notion of self and hence identity, grips me, disturbs me and motivates me. Everything comes from that. My interest in the self includes the others. It is clear that in the way that one carries out one's work, something like a self expresses itself. And this self is guided by constantly developing insights. The insights can be very unclear but can still be the inspiration behind a work. I am testing out old questions of identity; be it inside-outside, symmetry, layers and core, number two and the double, the goat and the monkey. Moments of recognition are what my work needs, they propel me forward. Collected moments of clarity become knowledge.” Born in Germany in 1937, Wolff studied at the Hochschule für Gestaltung (University of Design and Art) in Ulm, Germany, then worked as a designer in Sweden. For many years, she designed for the Kosta Boda glassworks, during which time she also pursued an independent career as a studio artist. Currently living and working on the Baltic island of Gotland, Sweden, she is the recipient of several internationally prestigious distinctions including the Lifetime Achievement Award from Glass Art Society and the PRO EUROPA Foundation's European Culture Prize. She has been honored with numerous international awards, among them the renowned Coburger Glaspreis (1977), the Bayerischen Staatspreis (1988), the Jurypreis of the Toledo Museum of Art (2005), and the Award of Excellence of the Smithsonian Renwick Collection, Washington, DC (2008). The Swedish Royal family has acquired several of her works. As one of the founders of the international Studio Glass movement, Wolff was at the center of attention as early as end of the 1960s. Her initiation into the American Studio Glass movement came at the invitation of Marvin Liposfsky and Dale Chihuly. Early days at Pilchuck sharing ideas and techniques revealed to her a new reality – one in which she was respected as an artist not a designer.  Wolff States: “The Studio Glass movement from the United States burst in on my work – my isolation – in the mid 1960s. I was astonished and thrilled by the freedom with which glass was handled there. An immense curiosity about the unused potential and the broad possibilities of the new material for art: glass. It has to fit into the framework of art in general, though. For me, art is the deciding factor. The path I took shows that I intensely wanted to express my life in pictures, clarify things for myself. Of course, I could have started in a quite different medium – painting, sculpture, film – but it became glass.” In her 50-year career, Wolff repeatedly created works that made people think. With glass, she allowed the world to glance at her esthetic sentimentality, and she also created homogenous objects. Ever recurring themes predominant in her work are womanhood and habitation expressed through objects that are mostly monochrome, often in warm earthy tones. Dance-theater was a strong inspiration, and she was allowed to attend rehearsals with Pina Bausch, made views from what she saw there and then formed glass objects. Wolff brings out the special characteristics of glass: contours, surfaces, the relation between inside and outside. She makes inner landscapes visible. What lies behind the mask? The artist has asked herself this question again and again over the years. The psychology behind the facade is a regular theme of her works. Investigating further the subject of Wolff's blown and engraved bowls and cast sculptures, one finds that the relationships between women as friends, and as mothers and daughters, and the role of women in society deeply concern her. She writes: “It is natural to take oneself as one's starting point. The situation of women partly determines who I am and leads me to pose particular questions.”  

Leah is the owner and head glass blower at Big Eddy Glass Works. She has been working with glass for over 18 years and in 2018 she opened her own studio in Revelstoke, B.C., Canada. She fell in love with the art of glass blowing her very first time trying it out and absolutely knew it was what she was going to do for the rest of her life. She interned at the Seattle Glass Blowing Studio where she had the opportunity to study with renowned glass blower, Dale Chihuly. Ali & Callie were fortunate enough to catch up with Leah after a very busy weekend of LUNA Fest in Revelstoke, as Leah was not only involved in setting up an elaborate temporary exhibit, but also involved with a permanent installation in one of the "alleries" - art galleries in the alleys. You can hear about the challenges of working with glass, especially when collaborating with a metal artist! Find out more about the Big Eddy Glass Works at bigeddyglassworks.ca. And check out the Ali & Callie Facebook page for photos and a fun video of Leah at work.

Richard Royal, a native of the Northwest, has become recognized internationally as one of the most skilled and talented glassblowers in the Studio Glass movement. Bodies of work such as his early Diamond Cut series to the more recent Geometrics are the hallmarks of his successful career in glass. The artist began working as a glass sculptor in 1978 at the Pilchuck Glass School, located north of Seattle. After spending a number of years as a ceramist, the birth of a new artistic movement appealed to the young artist.  Working his way through the ranks, Royal became one of Dale Chihuly's main gaffers. This relationship lasted for a number of years and consequently led to Royal's emergence in the art market in the 1980s. He has since been an independent artist exhibiting work internationally in both solo and group exhibitions. Wrote gallerist, Ken Saunders: “When Royal joined the staff of Pilchuck it was ostensibly as a maintenance man. In those early days a guy hired to clean up and a guy hired to drive a truck – Royal and William Morris respectively – might easily find themselves assisting the world's greatest glassblowers as they worked the hot glass, in demonstrations for students and for themselves after hours and after the summer sessions had ended for the season. Though Royal was introduced to glass as a student at the Central Washington University he pursued an interest in ceramics and in 1972, he and fellow student Ben Moore built a studio in their hometown of Olympia, Washington. There they created a line of production objects made from clay. The young men worked compulsively and energetically but typically found themselves in bohemian circumstances. Royal made his rent money building high-end wood furniture and endeavored to keep the studio viable while Moore enrolled in the under-graduate program at the California College of Arts. At CCA Moore met Marvin Lipofsky, who was running the glass program, though Moore did not participate in glass at that time and went on to earn his undergrad degree in ceramics. For graduation, Moore's parents gifted him with a session at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington. There, Moore met Chihuly who liked his energy and encouraged the young artist to help out during the summer programs at Pilchuck and later to attend RISD to earn an MFA in glass. As the small staff of the school expanded to accommodate the explosion of interest in the programming, Moore reached out to his buddy Royal, inviting him to join the staff in 1978. Royal jumped at the chance to get out of Olympia where maintaining the ceramics studio had become a lonely enterprise. ‘I'd heard about what was going on at Pilchuck but I was just thinking about having a job and getting fed regularly. I had no idea what was going to happen…it changed my life.' After spending the summer of 1978 at Pilchuck, working maintenance and, on many occasions, assisting in the hot-shop during classes and after hours, Royal was invited to stay for the fall to assist Chihuly with his work. Chihuly was assembling a large team that he felt would allow him to create ambitious, large- scale sculptures and installations… Once winter descended on the Pacific Northwest the team was forced to abandon Pilchuck for the season. Chihuly filled his calendar with Visiting Artist Residencies at colleges and universities around the country and took members of the team with him. Royal recalls the excitement: ‘We'd take over the art department and during our demonstrations the hot shop would be standing room only,' the team putting on what amounted to a performance with Chihuly playing the master of ceremonies breathlessly directing the action. ‘We would hit the campus like rock stars.' While Chihuly developed a very specific vision of a large studio employing extremely gifted crafts people to handle very specific tasks in an effort to harness the best each had to offer to the process, most artists working in glass in those days worked in very small teams, basically a handful of artist/friends who took turns leading the creation of their own works with the assistance of the others. ‘We all had our own ideas. In fact, when it was your turn you were expected to have your own ideas for your own work.' And led by the example set by Dale, ‘everybody was completely supportive of the others and willing to lend a hand if need be.' Dale set the tone, ‘really supporting whatever each of us wanted to create.'  Royal continued working with Chihuly for nearly 30 years until 2006,. He simultaneously worked at Benjamin Moore Inc. beginning in 1984.  Wrote Saunders: “Royal's first series of blown objects to find commercial and critical success, the Diamond Cut and Shelter Series, were begun at this time… The most important technical characteristic of this early work was the overlay of color on the outside of the bubble – a strategy that turns the usual process of picking up color first on its head. Royal describes the process: ‘In the Diamond Cut Series I overlaid four or five different colors on the outside of a bubble, brought the blank down to room temperature and used a diamond band saw to cut through those layers…I wanted to create an object that would allow you to look at the outside and inside simultaneously…This was a personal metaphor for exploration, looking inside.” The Shelter Series extended this metaphor reflecting profound changes he was going through emotionally, financially and professionally.  In 1989 his engagement and subsequent marriage to Jana led to Royal's Relationship Series. The form consists of a top and a bottom of equal size that meet and entwine around a smaller vessel at the center of the sculpture. ‘The Relationship pieces…show two equal entities coming together around a single idea.' Central to these works was the artist's sense of scale. Royal committed early on to working in the largest scale that was technically feasible. Those early bodies of work especially reflect the profound influence Moore and Chihuly had on the artist's work. Moore's tight technical approach was itself influenced by Italian Design. Moore blew on-center and his work is often characterized by a restrained use of color. Chihuly, on the other hand, had an organic sensibility but his approach to the creative impulse was as much informed by Warhol as by nature. His pieces were gestural, gaudy and loud in color and in form. Royal thinks that his work has benefited from the influence of these two opposites. In Royal's latest body of work, the Geos, the artist has sought to capture the qualities of kiln cast glass in his blown glass constructions. He has emphasized simple and subtle coloration and given the individual pieces a sculptural presence by referencing organic forms as opposed to utilitarian objects. The artist is also reinventing his Diamond Cut series, creating fresh new objects (such as those seen at the top of this page). Royal's work can be found in such noteworthy museum collections as The Mint Museum of Art + Design, The High Museum, the New Orleans Museum of Art, The Tampa Museum of Art, and the Daiichi Museum (Japan). His artwork is also included in the SAFECO Collection, PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM, and the Westinghouse Corporation. One of the first Artists-in-Residence at the Waterford Crystal Factory, Royal continues to teach as both a guest artist and faculty member at various universities and the Pilchuck Glass School. A past grant recipient from the National Endowment for the Arts, he has served as a visiting artist at the Corning Museum of Glass, the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Ohio State University and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  

Sunday on PBS News Weekend, we explore Juneteenth's evolution into a national holiday and meaningful ways to celebrate its significance. Then, blown-glass artist Dale Chihuly's latest exhibit takes inspiration from the Arizona desert's landscape. Plus, NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the joys and challenges of being a dad. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In the desert of Arizona, you can visit one of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright's homes. But for the past few months, the site has also been home to an installation by glass artist, Dale Chihuly. Special correspondent Mike Cerre looks at how the work of these two artists came together among the rugged landscape. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In the desert of Arizona, you can visit one of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright's homes. But for the past few months, the site has also been home to an installation by glass artist, Dale Chihuly. Special correspondent Mike Cerre looks at how the work of these two artists came together among the rugged landscape. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

We have special episode this week, the continuation of our Kosnos Campaign. Join best friends Nebun and Dagnal as they take the initiation test at the fabled Ironheart Institute. Check out episode 24 for the their first adventure. For more information, please check out our website. Email: acoupleofcharacterspod at gmail dot com. Twitter, Instagram, Patreon: ACoCPodcast. Bookshop dot org storefront and gift cards. Use code CHOOSEINDIE on Libro.fm to receive a free audiobook when you purchase a subscription. Episode notes: Transcript. Freezing Ray Spell homebrew. Dyslexia friendly versions: Transcript. Freezing Ray Spell homebrew. Mentioned episodes: Kosnos 1. Animated Battle Robe. Dale Chihuly. Sara, creator of the combat wheelchair: Twitter. Patreon. Cover art: Copyright Chandra Reyer 2019.

On this episode of Big Blend Radio, travel writer Debbie Stone talks about her adventures in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona including Taliesin West, Musical Instrument Museum, and Wrigley Mansion & Geordie's. Read her stories on these Arizona Attractions: * TALIESIN WEST: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/experience-a-visual-conversation-between-wright-and-chihuly-at-taliesin-west/ * MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/explore-the-world-of-music-at-mim/ * WRIGLEY MANSION: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/tour-historic-wrigley-mansion-then-dine-in-style/ Debbie Stone appears on Big Blend Radio every 4th Tuesday. 

Jenn talks to Leslie Chihuly and McLean Hospital's Eriana Kirwin about the relationship between mental health and the arts. Leslie and Eriana highlight ways that creativity can benefit our mental state, share how to express ourselves in an emotionally helpful way, provide first-hand experience as to how art has been beneficial both for themselves and their loved ones, and answer questions on how we can all do our part to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.Leslie Jackson Chihuly is an American arts executive and philanthropist with a focus on democratizing access to the arts and ensuring ongoing viability for artists and arts organizations. She is the president and chief executive officer of Chihuly Studio and Chihuly Workshop, both of which support the artistic vision of her husband and partner, Dale Chihuly. In 2018, Leslie was inducted into the College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in recognition of her extraordinary achievements in the arts.Eriana Kirwin, OTD, is an occupational therapist at McLean's Pathways Academy. Pathways Academy is a year-round, therapeutic day school developed to meet the social, sensory, psychological, and educational needs of children and adolescents ages 6 through 22 with autism spectrum disorders.RELEVANT CONTENT:– More about the episode: mclean.link/vaa– Read the episode transcript: mclean.link/gt0- - -The McLean Hospital podcast Mindful Things is intended to provide general information and to help listeners learn about mental health, educational opportunities, and research initiatives. This podcast is not an attempt to practice medicine or to provide specific medical advice.© 2022 McLean Hospital. All Rights Reserved.

Martin Blank's early figurative work swiftly solidified his place as a premier figurative sculptor working in glass. The artist expanded his contributions to the contemporary glass scene in 2001 when he introduced his sensual and fluid abstract landscapes. An innovator with an intense drive to create and to push his material, Blank's influences include glass masters Pino Signoretto and William Morris and artforms as diverse as origami and opera. Blank states: “My work explores what I call visual mirroring. It deals with abstract forms and their spatial relationships. Mirroring is the way two juxtaposed objects relate to one another. There is a dialogue that is created between these forms. A tenuous and tactile presence is created. It is the resonating voice. Each shape relates to its adjacent partner. In this intimate stage, each element has the ability to affect and echo the other. There is a moment when these objects reach their peak visual potency. This is the essence of what is revealed while I create.” Blank emerged as one of North America's premiere figurative sculptors with a style quintessentially his own, admiring the grace and flow of the human form since childhood. In 1984, the artist earned his BFA from Rhode Island School of Design. That same year, he moved west to begin his professional career in Seattle, working at the center for studio glass and learning from the driving force behind it – Dale Chihuly. Blank brought his infectious enthusiasm and courageous desire to push the material to Chihuly's team, all the while establishing his own contributions to the glass movement. From his Lotus series to Deconstructed Blue and Adorn series, Blank's sculpture can be found in international locations including the Millennium Museum in Beijing, China, the Shanghai Museum of Fine Art, Shanghai, China, and the American Embassy in Slovakia. The artist was among a group of America's most renowned glass artists invited to make presentations to create public art for the World Trade Center park in New York City. His work is included in private collections and museums around the world to include the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University, Stanford, California; and the Cleveland Museum of Fine Art.  In 2001, Blank created the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation “Access to Learning” Award for recipients in Finland, Argentina and Guatemala. His own honors include: the Award of Excellence for the International Glass Invitational, Habatat Gallery, Royal Oak, Michigan, 2006, 2010, 2013 and 2016; Artists Grants, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington, 1986 and 1990; and artist residencies at Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, 2003, 2007. His public abstract landscapes include: Current at Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington; Repose in Amber at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Indiana; Fluent Steps at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington; and Steam Portrait at 99 Church Street, New York, New York. These public sculptures reveal nature's inherent structure and celebrate the complementary relationship of natural and figurative objects in space.  Blank recently completed a new installation at Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida, titled If a River Could Tell a Story, an installation and ecosystem of light, reflection, form and motion, on view through 2022. The artist was commissioned to collaborate on a work of art for Imagine Museum with founder, Trish Duggan. The fluidity of motion contained in the work invites one on the journey of the river of self-discovery. Every year, Imagine Museum selects its Artist of the Year, a contemporary artist whose art fosters the appreciation of the artistic and expressive nature of glass. For 2022, Blank was chosen, as he is one of the premier figurative sculptors across the globe whose work distinctively expresses motion, sensuality, and the powerful resonance of human landscapes. Since the 1990s, as an independent artist in Seattle, Blank has produced art and commissions for contemporary collectors, museums and gallery exhibitions. Whether it is a collection of flower blossoms, a monumental abstract installation, or a figurative sculpture, his hot sculpted glass is made with a combination of technical exactitude and creative exuberance. His working relationship with glass is an intimate one, as he wears heat protective clothing, gets very close, and employs his entire body while molding the molten material. Intuitive and deliberate, he is nonetheless open to enhancing his visual vocabulary with the happy accidents of glasswork. Blank states: “It always intrigues me when the forms reveal a negative space that is as vital and potent as the actual objects. Great sculpture is like music, all you have to do is feel it.”  

For Thomas McKeon, glass art has been his passion for almost 30 years.  When Tom first discovered glass, he worked exclusively in the stained glass world not only producing numerous pieces for sale through local art shows, but also teaching in the field when he was living in New Jersey. A full size reproduction of a Frank Lloyd Wright window for his own home sat at the very top of his bucket list for many years and, when completed, was considered the highlight of his works. But it left him still wanting more.After moving to North Carolina, he turned his attention to glass fusing and has set about studying and perfecting a variety of techniques, determined to learn as much as he could about all the intricacies of how glass behaves in a kiln.Tom's website:  www.encoreglassart.comFB: @EncoreGlassArtTom's artist recommendations:   Dale Chihuly (blown glass)   Frank Lloyd Wright (leaded / stained glass)   Tim Carey (Painterly Portrait fused and stained glass)    Support the show

Cappy Thompson is an internationally acclaimed Seattle artist known for her mythopoetic narratives on glass created via the grisaille painting technique. Early in her career, she was drawn to the images and symbols of the medieval period, inspired by the Christian tradition of Western Europe as well as the content of Hindu, Pagan, Judaic, Buddhist and Islamic painting. In more recent years, the artist has moved away from mythological narrative and toward compositions on vessels that draw upon images and themes from her personal life. Thus began an autobiographical exploration of world culture and spirituality that continues to the present. Thompson states: “For me, as a narrative painter, the issue has always been content.  The issue wasn't glass, the material that I chose some 45 years ago. Nor was it the painting technique—grisaille or gray-tonal painting—that I taught myself to use. My work—which spans several decades and a variety of scales from the intimate to the monumental—has always been driven by content.” Born in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1952, Thompson grew up in Seattle and attended the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, where she received her BA in 1976 in painting and printmaking. Basically self-taught, her first professional exposure to glass came in 1975 when she worked for a small studio in Olympia. For several years she learned and worked in solitude until her reputation brought her to the attention of glass artists Charles Parriott, Therman Statom and Dale Chihuly. In 1984 Thompson moved back to Seattle, and her subsequent exposure to artists at Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington, led her to painting on vessel forms. Thompson's work can be found in collections worldwide, including those of the Corning Museum of Glass, Tacoma Art Museum, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, the Chrysler Museum of Art, Museum of Art and Design, and the Microsoft Corporation.  Recent exhibitions include Indie Folk: New Art and Songs from the Pacific Northwest, held at The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Washington State University, Pullman, 2022; The Schneider Museum of Art, Ashland, Oregon, 2022; and Fluid Formations, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, Washington, on view in 2021. Public commissions include large-scale installations at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Evergreen State College, and Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. In 2019, Thompson designed, fabricated and installed eight painted glass windows for Salk Middle School, Spokane, Washington, a project commissioned by Washington State Arts Commission in partnership with Spokane School District.  A recipient of an NEA fellowship, the Libensky Award, and Pilchuck's John Hauberg Fellowship, Thompson has also been artist in residence at Pilchuck and at Toyama City Institute. She has served on the Bellevue Arts Museum Advisory Council, the Board of Directors of the Glass Art Society and Pilchuck Glass School's Artistic Program Advisory Committee and continues serving on the Board of Directors for Pottery Northwest. She has taught workshops around the world at Bildwerk, Frauenau, Germany; California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, California; Canberra School of Art, Canberra, Australia; Centro del Arte Vitro, Monterrey, Mexico; Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia; International Glass Center, Dudley College, Stourbridge, England; National Sculpture Factory, Cork Ireland; National College of Arts and Design, Dublin, Ireland; Northlands Creative Glass Center, Lybster, Scotland; Penland School of Crafts, Penland, North Carolina; Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington; and many more. Though each piece tells its own story, there is one general message Thompson tries to convey with her work: “I see now, after more than three decades of work, that I am like those medieval painters striving to express magnificence and beauty.  But my expression focuses on the human experience of goodness, of hope and of love.”  

One would be hard-pressed to think of any other artist working with glass whose work reflects as many varied and compelling styles as Dan Dailey's. From vessel forms to his Individuals to lamps, sconces and chandeliers, these beautiful, sometimes humorous pieces dazzle through a combination of colored glass and intricate metal work. No matter the format, Dailey's work expresses humanity, historical reference, and reverence for the natural world.  Dailey credits his successful career to his education in the arts. Born in Philadelphia in 1947, he attended Philadelphia College of Art, where he encountered glass through ceramic teacher, Roland Jahn, and discovered a mentor in William P. Daley, who taught basic design and color to his freshman class. Dailey, who completed graduate studies at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) as Dale Chihuly's first graduate student, says: “Under Chihuly's influence, I focused totally on glass. That was a breakthrough for me. It was a lucky time for me to be there.'' Following graduate school, with the support of a Fulbright fellowship, Dailey moved to Italy and worked in Murano's famed Venini Factory during 1972 and 1973 as an independent artist/designer. He later worked with other established glass companies such as Critsallerie Daum in Nancy, France, and Steuben Glass Works, in Corning, New York. In 1973, Dailey returned to the US and established the glass program at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston, which he headed until 1985. Now Professor Emeritus, he transitioned into a new relationship with MassArt, creating a lecture series titled Materialism, in collaboration with Joe Rapone, a professor of design at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Dailey continues his role as independent designer at both Venini and Daum, and serves on the National Advisory Board for The University of the Arts.  Among his many awards, Dailey received a Fulbright Hayes Fellowship, Venice, Italy, 1972-1973 and a Fellowship at the MIT Center for Advanced Visual Studies, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1975-1983. He was elected a Fellow of the American Craft Council in 1998, honored in 2000 with the Libensky Award, and in 2001 with the Masters of the Medium Award by the James Renwick Alliance. Shown in over 300 exhibitions, including a retrospective at the Renwick Gallery, his work is included in more than 50 museum and public collections internationally, and currently represented by Schantz Galleries, Stockbridge, Massachusetts; Hawk Galleries, Columbus, Ohio; Habatat Galleries, Royal Oak, Michigan; and Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, Canada.  Dailey's process for transforming glass into compelling and unexpected forms is almost as interesting on paper as it is in three dimensions. Drawings and watercolors are used to refine ideas, but also to direct his team, which can include glassblowers in Seattle; acid polishing in West Virginia; waterjet cutters in local machine shops; and cutting, grinding, metal working, and assembling assistants at his New Hampshire studio. Working from his titles forward, the artist keeps a list of thoughts and key phrases, illustrating words with the objects he makes.  He states: “I emphasized drawing as a teacher for many years, because it would help me to help somebody realize their own ideas. It doesn't have to be a beautiful drawing. It just needs to include information. However, in my own work, I make accurate drawings that really represent the piece.” Focusing part of his time on producing sculptural lighting and large installations for residences and public buildings, Dailey says being diversified has kept him continuously busy, though he notes, not everyone makes a connection between all of his work. “Someone interviewed me at an exhibition in Chicago and did not realize that I made all of the work on exhibit. She thought it was three different artists. It was the first time I considered that perhaps my work wasn't clearly all mine, even though to me it all looked like it belonged. If you look through my sketchbooks and see the black-and-white ink on paper drawings, you can see that as different as the finished work can be, it is all connected by my stylistic approach.” Emerging from the Studio Glass movement initiated by Harvey Littleton, Dailey's work goes beyond its historical glass roots to combine with metal in a variety of formats, all of which communicate a subjective, narrative message. A vast array of forms has always been required to express the multitudes of ideas generated by Dailey's mind, and style is the common thread that binds them.  

Glass isn't typically the first material that folks associate with Indigenous artwork. And yet, the medium lends itself well to unique cultural interpretations, combining fundamental elements of earth, air, and fire with generational artistry. Native artists have been drawn to glassblowing since the 1970s, utilizing it to reinterpret traditional forms and tell thoroughly modern stories. Host Charlotte Jusinski explores the hypnotic beauty on display at Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC), the first exhibition of its kind on view until June 2022. Joining Charlotte are her co-host for this episode Dr. Matthew Martinez, interim director of the museum, and Robert “Spooner” Marcus, one of the glassblowers featured in the exhibit. The two men share a bond that stretches back to their childhood on the reservation in Ohkay Owingeh, NM, an experience that informs their perspectives on art and colors this conversation.   This is perhaps one of the most aesthetically beautiful exhibitions ever to grace Santa Fe's cultural landscape. That's saying something given the city's renowned collection of museums. Visitors to Clearly Indigenous descend from MIAC's bright galleries into a dimly lit space, a journey that feels almost subterranean, forcing the senses to adjust to a new environment. This darkness emphasizes the molten glow emanating from within some of these intensely fragile pieces and recalls their beginnings in a blazing furnace. The effect casts a regal air over the entire exhibit. Juxtapose the majestic characteristics of glass with the personable, often irreverent nature of its artists. Spooner is warm and easygoing despite working with this daunting, often dangerous material. “Glass is a very fickle thing,” he says. “If you don't respond to what it's doing, then it's not going to cooperate.” That Zen-like approach to his craft was born when he answered a newspaper ad for a production line glassblower––no experience necessary. Spooner's earliest pieces were juice cups, fashioned assembly line style over and over again. But the utilitarian end product didn't diminish the allure of working with glass. “I walked into the shop, there's this big furnace that's blazing, and I basically did not turn back. I really knew from that moment that it was going to be in my life for a relatively long time.”  Twenty years later, Spooner's technique-driven work is on display at MIAC alongside 32 fellow Indigenous glass artists in an exhibition that includes pieces by Dale Chihuly, the artist credited with bringing the medium to Indian Country. Clearly Indigenous highlights an immense range of forms and the ways in which glass can reference the past while remaining wholly modern. Spooner agrees. He hopes the show inspires others to become better acquainted with the methods and magic of glass art. “It's that spark, that interest in creating that hopefully an exhibit like this [creates]. Somebody will see it and say, ‘Hey, you know, I want to try doing this!' or maybe buy a piece of glass or go take a lesson.” Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass is at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture through June 16, 2022. To learn more about Robert “Spooner'' Marcus, visit his website and follow him on Instagram. Connect with Dr. Matthew Martinez via LinkedIn. Explore glass blowing classes and experiences in Santa Fe at Prairie Dog Glass.    Visit http://newmexicoculture.org for info about our museums, historic sites, virtual tours and more. *** Encounter Culture, a production of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, is produced and edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios. Hosted by Charlotte Jusinski Technical Director: Edwin R. Ruiz at Mondo Machine Recording Engineer: Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe Executive Producer:  Daniel Zillmann Theme Music: D'Santi Nava For more, visit NewMexicoCulture.org.

In Ep. 01 I'm joined by Neile Cooper, glass artist, jewelry maker, teacher, author, glass installation guru and all around top of the game stained glass artist who's bio and accomplishments are so long it was hard to cover them all in 1 episode. Oh yeah and she's the creator of THAT CABIN. You know the one. It's all over your Pinterest and Instagram.  She's going to break down her strategy for pricing a large commission project, the process of writing a crafting book and why everyone needs a Rob. Join me as I crack it wide open!Watch us have our conversation and see the art, people and places we're speaking about on my youtube channel HERE.Honorable mentions and links from this episode:See more of Neile's incredible work and stay up to date on her projects. Her instagram is @neilecooper and her website  is glasscabinstudio.com.There's not yet a link to pre-order her book but will be soon and she'll be posting about it!Neile's dream team of glass artists helping with her Maker's Mark project:Lauren Barns - @PoplarbrookartsCarissa Kelly - @hottrashglassJodi Crean - @earlygirlglassAllysa Sobey - @sotoldcreativeNeile's favorite artists:Eyvand Earle - @Eyvindearlearteyvindearle.comTheodore Ellison - @theodoreellisondesignstheodoreellison.comLearn more about Dale Chihuly and his glass work:@chihulystudio Chihuly.comChihuly photos taken at the Maker's Mark campus are by Virginia Miller - check out her awesome blog:www.theperfectspotsf.com Maker's Mark family and campus photos are from the kind people at Maker's Mark. Check out more photos, get recipes and book a tour at MakersMark.com.British Society of Authors - https://www2.societyofauthors.org/Insurance & shipping  - The North American Collectables Association Inc.For episodic sponsorship opportunities please email hello@runaglassworks.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/runaglassworks)

This episode spotlights Tracey Robertson, a nonprofit leader and community organizer who was tired of hearing her neighbors repeat stereotypes she knew were not true. She figured that to change the narrative, people needed to be able to see each other more clearly, as complex individuals each with a story to share. In this episode, we learn about a project called Color-Brave that evolved from conversations in a coffee shop to a traveling exhibit and book. You'll meet Mushe and Shawn, featured in Color-Brave, and the photographer and museum curator who made it possible.Voices in this episode:Tracey Robertson co-founded and directed Fit Oshkosh, Inc from 2014-2020. Fit Oshkosh, Inc. was a non-profit social justice organization with the mission to promote social transformation, race equity, and justice through Color-Brave conversations, education, advocacy, and research. Tracey specializes in anti-racist curriculum development and has delivered workshops to clients across the United States and Canada. Her 2017 TedX Oshkosh Talk, “Black Girls Aren't Magic,” received a standing ovation and has been viewed worldwide. She is currently a trainer with Quad Consulting DEI Consultants.Colleen Bies was born and raised in Wisconsin. Prior to her role as Regional Project Director for Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC), Colleen served in the Army National Guard, worked in finance, and created 2 businesses as an entrepreneur. Married for 14 years and a big believer in community, her work is dedicated to servicing her community and supporting her family. You can find Colleen's 2019 TEDxOshkosh talk on Why Children of Immigrants Work so Hard here and her photography here.Mushe Subulwa is the Director of SEPO Zambia, a non-profit dedicated to sustainability, education, and progress in western Zambia. Subulwa received the Daisy Frazier Social Justice Award in 2019 for his work with SEPO Zambia.Shawn Anthony Robinson, Ph.D. is a leading scholar on African American boys with dyslexia. Dr. Robinson has over 40 publications and is a public speaker, consultant, and educator. He is affiliated with Wisconsin's Equity & Inclusion Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison Area Technical College, American University, and an active Board member with the International Dyslexia Association. His goal is to change the narrative around dyslexia. His website can be found here.Aaron Sherer has served as the Executive Director of the Paine Art Center and Gardens since 2002. Sherer leads a varied exhibitions program, including shows by artists such as Dale Chihuly, Normal Rockwell, and Ansel Adams, as well as lamps by Louis Comfort Tiffany and costumes from the television show Downton Abbey. Sherer also initiated the annual Nutcracker in the Castle holiday presentation, now preparing for its 15th year, and he has overseen more than $10 million of historic preservation and capital improvements to the historic estate. Sherer lives in Oshkosh with his husband and four sons.

I thought I would bring in an expert today....my mom who has fallen in love with a very famous glass blower...#Chihuly. Over a 20 year period my mom, Mary LeVasseur has seen numerous examples of the amazing variety of Dale Chihuly. And most recently she saw his incredible glass museum and gardens in Seattle, Washington. Listen to why she feels art is important and how it can influence your life. Thanks for stopping by the show mom! @chihulystudio http://www.chihuly.com Sponsored by Stiletto Titanium Hammer- Get ONE today and support the show with this small but powerful tool just for women! More info and show notes: http://remodelyourlifepodcast.com/31