Artist's tool box: equipment for hot and cold glass art

This post contains pictures of tools that are used to create and repair glass art. Those tools in the masters' hands that help them translate their imagination to reality. The tools might be dull, mechanical, mundane but the art that emerges in the end is anyhting but ordinary. So check these guys out! I took these pictures in Bonnie's studio in Athens.

The machine that is used to make glass beads. Bonnie showed me how a glass bead comes to life. A star is born! The way it takes shape is marvelous..simply beautiful.

This is a handheld glass cutter. You put a clear glass on a shape drawn on paper and run the cutter on the lines. I tried my hand at it. It's amazing how such a tiny thing can cut quite a thick piece of glass. Enjoyed it!

Take a look at the unassuming copper foil and the mundane solder that bring together eclectic glass pieces to form a design.

This heavey thing is used to pound glass pieces into fine powder that is used to create effects. Bonnie showed me fine powder of black glass that sparkled and shined.

Here is the big bad metal boy: the kiln. It is used to melt glass to create fused glass pieces. The kiln has a digital control panel and can handle temperature of upto 1800 degrees.

Visiting the mystical world of stained and fused glass with Bonnie Proudfoot (Part I)

I met Bonnie Proudfoot in her studio at her residence in beautiful countryside of Athens. Upon my request, we had decided to talk in her studio. Conversing with artists in their studios (where they can show me around) is fun and also educational. Talking with them in a studio has two distinct advantages. For a novice art writer like me, the context of studio helps understand “technical aspetcs of art” better because I can see the machinery (and exactly know what they are talking about). It also helps to bring out nuances of "work routines" of artists. So I am grateful to Bonnie for welcoming me into her creative space and sharing secrets of glass art with me, quite patiently.

As soon as I stepped into the studio, decorative glass art pieces on the wall caught my attention: a large half-circle shaped piece in the window, a bright colorful wall piece depicting a chicken and many other fused glass art pieces. The studio wore a busy look--it was full of materials and machinery required for Bonnie’s glass art. A huge white machine (which I later learned was a kiln) sat on one side. There were sheets of coloredglass arranged in a cabinet across from the entrance. I could picture Bonnie in the studio, engrossed in her work on a quiet summer afternoon.

The art piece by Bonnie Proudfoot installed in the window of her studio

Bonnie has been working with glass for more than 30 years. Her love for glass started with a casual college job at a studio that made glass lamps and repaired stained glass windows in Buffalo, NY. “That looks like fun, I will do it,” Bonnie recalled her reaction as she began working in the studio. She did that job for a year and found herself extremely fascinated with glass.

She mentioned that stained glass windows are being built since the 1100s’. In stained glass technique, colorful pieces of glass are fitted into channels made of lead and joined together to form different designs. Many churches have old stained glass windows and those often need to be restored, as over the years the lead stretches and the cement that holds the pieces together breaks down.

Another colorful and well designed art piece by Bonnie Proudfoot

In the 1900s’, copper foil method, which tends to be more free and allows greater freedom to put more intricate designs together, was introduced. In that method, a copper foil is wrapped around the edges of the pieces of glass and then soldered together to make a design. Bonnie is an expert in that method as well and has made numerous lamps, windows, and other types of art pieces. She has exhibited her work at many art shows.

Bonnie enjoys creating glass art for church windows. “Church windows are important because they are spiritual symbols,” she said. She showed me the pictures of leaded stained glass window project she completed for a chapel in a vey big church in Lynchburg, Va. She also repairs stained glass windows to date.

Bonnie is an accomplished fused glass artist too. In fact, she is well known for using this technique to create decorative art pieces. Below, you can see an elegant art work created using that technique.

Fused glass art work by Bonnie Proudfoot

Apart from being a professional artist she also teaches full time, courses in art appreciation and communication, at Hocking College. It’s only fitting that she designed the glass program at Hocking College. She came to Athens in 1996 to pursue doctoral program in creative writing at Ohio University. After finishing her coursework, she accepted a teaching position at Hocking College. Her undergraduate degree is in art education and she has two masters­­­­—one in creative writing with a secondary concentration in fine art, and the another in English literature.

More about this wonderful artist and her artistic endeavours in the next post.

Running an art store: an art?

In this post, I continue my conversation with Gloria, the owner of Court Street Collection (in the picture below):

Challenge of running an art store

When I asked Gloria what was the most difficult part of managing an art store, she said economy is posing a challenge and she is trying her best to keep the business afloat. She also said that the local community has been very supportive, especially since the downturn, and has been helping the store by buying locally.

But I saw Gloria doing her bit for the community too.The two times I was there in her store, she gave away two art pieces for local auctions, proceeds of which would be given to charities in the area. The requests typically come from OU students, representing various on-campus organizations.

Artists and the OU connection

Gloria knows most of the local artists very well and has developed rapport with them over the past number of years. The artists display their work in the store and get paid when the art work gets sold. This kind of an arrangement is not very common in the market and is a testimony to late Sue’s and Gloria’s goodwill among the local artists.

Gloria went to Ohio University between 1970-75 and majored in English. At that time she also took the glass blowing program offered at OU.

Most of the artists who showcase their work in her store are more than 50 years old and have settled in this area. Gloria said many of the artists who went to school at OU in the 70s,’ decided to live in and around Athens. At that time the land in and around Athens was inexpensive and they found Athens to be a fun place.

I wonder what has happened since. (Probably I should talk to someone in the OU art school.)

Selecting an art piece

I was curious as to how she picks artworks for the store, particularly when the customers always expect to find something unique . She said she looks up the internet,travels and reads magazines to keep abreast of new trends and new artists. Sometimes the artists test their new creative ideas by exhibiting one or two pieces in the store, to gague audience reception.

Some of the popular art pieces in her store are stain glass works of John Matz (Sunflower Glass) and ceramic cats by Mary Dewey (The Dewey Studio). Their artwork is exclusvely (in Athens) available at Court Street Collection.

Ceramic cat by Mary Dewey, sitting on top of a cabinet in the store

Gloria's favorite

What was her favorite art piece? I asked her in the end. She showed me a basket of thin silver wires. At first I didn’t quite understand the magic that basket could create but when Gloria held it in the sunlight it shimmered, reflecting the sunlight, and looked incredible. It is made by a local artist, Cindy Luna, a good friend of Gloria. Cindy sells her art all around the country.

Shimmering basket by Cindy Luna

Being an artist herself, Gloria brings a unique vision to the art store. Coupled that with the community spirit, Court Street Collection is an important stroke on the local art canvas.

And one of my favorites !

I will end this post with a picture of one of my favourites: sea salt lamps. And besides looking pretty, they are also supposed to soak up the negative energy around..(Don't know how true is that?) These lamps are not locally made though.

My favorite lamps, sitting pretty on the shelf

Priceless Art?

Josephin you asked about the prices of artpieces at Court Street Collection. I was wondering about the prices too! (Tell me..what can grad students really afford? But I really hope I (we all) can start earning enough money soon to own at least some of those wonderful art pieces in the world..what say? )

Although I don't have the complete price range I know the least and the most expensive pieces in the Court Street Collection.

The jewellery by Billie Sarchet under the Bird Girl label is priced at about $25 (makes me feel better! she also has jewellery on sale sometimes that's even cheaper). The most expensive art piece is the glass art by Bonnie Proudfoot at $ 575. But don't be intimidated, there are many itmes that fall under below $100 category. Both the artists are from around Athens.

Art piece by Bonnie Proudfoot...isn't this gorgeous?

Bead and stone jewellery (Jo.. for you !)

More later..Enjoy the beautiful sunshine!

Art Wonderland : Court Street Collection

Court Steet Collection, an art gallery/store that showcases and sells art and craftwork, is truly a wonderland for me.  As the name suggests it’s on Court Street, in uptown Athens. (To be precise, the address is 64 N. Court Street.) As soon as you set foot in the shop, you will be amazed by the art work on display. The shop presents an eclectic mixture of ceramic art (vases, cutlery, and sculptures), scarves, pillow covers, frames, lamps, jewellery, and many other really interesting pieces of art for sale. There is also a variety of glass art made by using different techniques like fuse glass, stain glass, and blow glass. It’s a riot of colors, shapes, and textures. And I really like the "gallery like" feel of it.

Court Street Collection in my mind is a place that represents many artists’ passion, unbridled imagination, and creativity, under one roof. According to Gloria, the owner of the store, about 70 percent of the art work is sourced locally from the artists in and around Athens. That’s why it became the next stop on my journey to discover the art and the artists in and around Athens.

History

I talked to Gloria to familiarize myself with this wonderland. Gloria gave me a peek into the history of the store. It was established in 1980 as a co-op by several artists in the area, to showcase and sell their art work. The artists ran it themselves. They owned it for about two years. After that the store was bought by Jim Gleason and late Susan Gleason. “Sue really made it into the store that it is today,” Gloria said.

Though not an artist, Sue had a great taste and she loved American craft. Gloria mentioned the Gleasons attended art and craft shows in New York, Boston to bring American craft from different parts of the country to Athens.

Sue and Gloria were good friends. Gloria used to exhibit her own work—blow glass work—in Court Street Collection. That’s how she knew Sue. If the Gleasons were going for a vacation, Gloria would step in to manage the store for that time. After Sue’s death in 1998 (a battle with cancer), her family ran it for some time. Gloria managed it for them for a couple of years, before buying it from Jim Gleason two years ago. 

There is an article on the wall that pays tribute to late Sue, recalls her artistic vision and captures the journey of Court Street Collection since its early days.

Though it’s a store, it doesn’t feel like a “commercial” space at all; may be because of Gloria’s artistic vision, and her warm nature. More about the store, the owner, and the artwork in later posts.

Art program and “good food” for the school kids in Nelsonville - York School District

Sara Gilfert , the art director of Paper Circle mentioned that the current executive director of Paper Circle Barb Campagnola started the art program for children.  Sara said in Nelsonville-York School District, no art is taught in the schools. So Barb along with her colleagues, inaugurated a unique art program for the kids in the area. It’s held every summer. They also collaborated with other studios on the Square so children can enjoy sculpting, painting, papermaking, theater production and many different arts. To me it looked  like an intensive but fun experience for children to learn about arts in thier summer vacation.

Food and fun                                                

Soon Paper Circle artists took their community service to the next level. They also included a “good food” program for the school kids. “There is a real need in the area to learn about what good food is,” Sara said. “This is an economically depressed area and children here are not aware of good food.” 

So they added the food element to the art program. They employ a chef to make food available to children. Also, older students do the “kitchen duty” where they learn how to make nutritious food and how to make it available in large quantities. Older students also get paid a little for their “kitchen duty.” The meals are provided free of cost considering the low income profile of the area.

Changing Artists

Another innovative and thoughtful program offered by Paper Circle is the “Changing Artists” series. Through this series, they invite an artist working with another medium to spend a year at Paper Circle.  Sara mentioned that currently Nancy McCauley, who makes bronze sculptures  (and also a painter,) is exploring the world of paper art at Paper Circle.

I think it’s a great idea to have artists working with other mediums work with paper because it facilitates a crossover of different skills and points of view. The experience can enrich the artist by introducing him/her to a new medium and probably also inspire work in his/her original medium.

Sources of funds for Paper Circle

Paper Circle is a not for profit organization. It gets grant from the Ohio Art Council. They also accept donations. Proceeds from the sale of paper art made by the Paper Circle artists, and a token fee for the workshops, are other minor sources of income.

(This is the last post in the series that covered Paper Circle.)

Paper mache tree and colorful paper bowls

Paper Circle offers paid/unpaid internship program that lets interns use the studio equipment, and showcase and sell their work. Currently Susie Thompson is the Paper Circle “artist in residence.”

Susie explained me the process for creating paper mache tree that sits in the studio.

Paper mache tree created by Susie

The process: (as told by Susie Thompson)

# The structure inside the tree was made from foam core and cardboard.

# Susie cut out 2, two dimensional tree shapes; and interlaced them.

#Then she wrapped it in window screen.

# Like “frosting a cake”(I liked the analogy) , she slapped paper mache on it.

# She used real branches for the ends.

# Originally she used paper made of banana peels and abaca..but didn’t like the result.

# So then she started covering it with pigmented dark brown Japanese tissue paper.

# She moved her fingers through the bark to give it the bumpy, uneven look.

She also mentioned that paper mache is really versatile can also be used to make masks etc. Susie said the tree is the first sculpture she made and now wants to make “the whole forest.”

Colorful paper bowls

I saw those colorful paper bowls in the studio and asked Susie the procedure.

Bowls made by Paper Circle artists.

The process:

# Susie said the bowls are made of recycled paper.They ripped the paper apart and turned into pulp.

# Pigments were used to get different colored pulps. They used the fabric dye called RIT.

(Susie recommends applying thin coat of vaseline on the insides of plastic bowls.)

# The next step was to drain water from the pulp and to press the pulp on the insides of the bowls.

(Pressing with sponge helps to get rid of excess water and hardens the layer.Thickness of the bowl can be adjusted through the quantity of pulp used and how hard it is pressed.)

# Different colored pulps were used to create patterns.

# The paper bowls need to dry in the plastic bowl: either in the Sun or could be set in front of a fan.

Susie said it takes about a week for the bowls to dry. Then the paper bowls start popping out of the plastic bowls. Even after taking out from the plastic bowls, the paper bowls may still need to be dried for some time.

# She spreaded glue to make a protective coat.

Susie said the bowls should not be used for eating but are great for decoration. She uses the bowls to organize her desk.