10 Sep 2023

2023: September Issue

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PNWglassguild.org

Evan Burnett

Upcoming events: pnwglassguild.org/events/

(Bolded events are Guild sponsored)

September
16-17  Edmonds Art Studio Tour, Edmonds WA
24 General meeting via Zoom: Custom Work
30-Oct 1 Open Studios near Portland

October
2 Board Meeting via Zoom
6-8 Local 14 Art Show and Sale, Portland OR
12-15  Refract glass multi-event, Seattle area
14-15  Glass and Decor Studio Tour, Seattle WA
22 General Meeting via Zoom: Vote for next year’s officers

November
6 Board Meeting via Zoom
10-12    Best of the NW fall show, Seattle WA
18-19   Wild Arts (Audubon), Portland OR
19 General Meeting via Zoom: Kids’ Projects

Members can log in and submit their events by clicking About>Contact Us, and filling out the Submit Calendar Event form


Contents

  • Featured Artists: Evan Burnette, Kathy Johnson
  • Guild seeks PAID Webmaster
  • President’s Message
  • 2023 Board of Directors
  • Welcome to our Newest Members
  • Open Studios
  • General Meetings
  • Guild Notes
  • PNW Glass Events, past & future
  • Featured Sponsor: NW Art Glass
  • Thanks to All Our Sponsors

Read the whole issue on the website:
https://www.pnwglassguild.org/article-cat/issue-2023-09/

(If you’ve just clicked the link and are seeing this page again, scroll down)

10 Sep 2023

Featured Artist: Evan Burnett, Portland OR

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Evan giving a demonstration during the 2022 Open Studios

In 2008 Evan started his own glass design and production company, Local Art Glass LLC. In addition to having a great team of six artisans helping him make his work, Local Art Glass is also Portland, Oregon’s only public glassblowing studio. It is located upstairs in an intriguing building called the Pickle Factory.

Evan’s studio practice is divided between two disciplines – design and fine art. On the design side Evan and his team create decorative and functional items for the home and office, including drinkware, vases, urns, bowls, and ornaments.  In 2020, Local Art Glass became the top seller of hand-blown ornaments on Etsy.com, making them one of the top producers of high-quality hand-blown ornaments in the country.

Evan’s fine art practice is centered on themes of humor, absurdism, and surrealism, often with mid-century modern and psychedelic qualities. Subjects have included hotdogs, glitter chickens, pickle spaceships, and plates decorated with images of Steve Buscemi. Burnette traces much of his current aesthetic and interests back to children’s television of the mid 1980’s, primarily Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, and Jim Henson’s The Muppet Show.

In 2023, an opportunity arose when the suite next door to Local Art Glass’s studio was vacated. Seizing the opportunity, Evan decided to expand the studio, moving the hotshop to the adjoining suite, making Local Art Glass’s footprint now just under 4,000 square feet. With the new added space, LAG is now able to offer glassblowing classes on a regular basis. Casting, fusing, and other specialized glass technique classes, featuring visiting artists, will be added to LAG’s public offerings in the near future.

You can see more of his work on the Portland area Open Studios Tour September 30 – October 1.

10 Sep 2023

Featured Artist: Kathy Johnson, Burien WA

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Kathy Johnson just celebrated 40 years of being part-owner of PNW Glass Guild sponsor Glass Expressions in Burien, WA, just south of Seattle. She started making glass beads in 1991. Her custom bead-portraits of horses combine her love of horses with her eye for detail and mastery of bead-making. Lately she has been combining fused glass with welding.

When she’s not out sailing she does expert stained glass repairs, plays with glass using all sorts of methods, and often wins glass cutting contests. She’s also a great teacher. You can see her in action in her Glass Classroom videos on YouTube or by taking a class in person.

If you take the Guild-sponsored GlassAndDecor.com studio tour in north Seattle on October 14-15 stop by site #3 to see and talk to her about her work.

10 Sep 2023

Guild seeks PAID webmaster

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Please share the following with anyone who might be both qualified and interested in doing very part time WordPress site back-end support:

PNWGlassGuild.org is a small non-profit group looking for a long term Webmaster and we’re willing to pay for your time:
Do you have proven experience with WordPress, the WooCommerce Subscriptions plug-in, and know or be willing to learn the Ultimate Member plug-in that provides our membership features such as registration, list management for MailChimp, content restriction, and the Members’ Gallery? We seek someone to initially spend time learning the site, switching the theme from the present Kadence “Virtue” to the block-based “Kadence” theme, and deleting no longer needed custom code in the process. We may also want you to do a bit of visual freshening of the site. This will be specified in detail after interviewing and getting your input. Our 3-year old site generally works well for us and we are NOT willing to consider a complete re-build at this time. The website creator and a copy of her documentation is available to answer specific questions you might have when you get started.

After the theme switch we ask you to spend an hour or two once a month installing any plug-in updates that are not too new to trust, then checking to see that the site’s key functions are working correctly. If something goes wrong we will need you to roll the just-updated plug-ins back to their previous versions and advise us on what to do next. We may also need you to assist in troubleshooting problems which appear later. We are not asking you to keep the information on the website up to date since Guild volunteers are able to do that. Please contact the Guild president Terry Thomas, president@pnwglassguild.org, with your qualifications, contact information, and approximate cost.

10 Sep 2023

President’s Message

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President’s Message – September 2023
Welcome to Fall, I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler temperatures that this season brings us. Fall is one of my favorite seasons because of the great colors. I hope you are creating some great art for the upcoming Open Studio tours in Seattle and Portland. If you are not sharing your work at one of the many stops, please take time to say HI to those that will be.

Sorry that I need to repeat this plea from my last newsletter messages, but PNWGG is still in need of member volunteers for our upcoming year’s leadership team.

A plea from the leadership of the Guild, WE NEED YOU! We are recruiting for the next group of leaders to move the Pacific Northwest Glass Guild forward and build on our past success. Two of our team leaders have announced their intention to step away after their current term is over. They are Membership and Sponsorship team leaders. The time to step up and volunteer has never been better, so you can learn from them over the next few months. Please reach out to any of our current board members or me at president@pnwglassguild.org any time for more details on how you can help us deliver great programs.

“Volunteer! Start Where You Are. Use What You Have. Do What You Can.” ~~Arthur Ashe

10 Sep 2023

2023 Board of Directors

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The 2023 PNWGG Board of Directors are:

  • President – Terry Thomas (need a candidate for 2024)
  • Vice President – Rachel Dollar (need a candidate for 2024)
  • Secretary – Haley Wigent (need a candidate for 2024)
  • Co-Treasurers – Linda Roman and Kate Nicklos
  • Sponsorship Chair – Linda Gerrard (need a candidate for 2024)
  • Membership Chair – Kate Nicklos
  • Newsletter Chair – Greta Schneider
  • Communications Chair – Stephanie Johnston
  • Website Chair – Karen Seymour

We are looking for members to shadow board members and/or join the various teams in the upcoming year. This will aid in a smoother transition as new board members step up in the future. It also gives you a chance to see behind the scenes and what it takes to keep the Guild engaging and relevant in your glass journey. Reach out to Terry Thomas (president@pnwglassguild.org) to volunteer or if you have any questions.

10 Sep 2023

Welcome to our Newest Members

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Please take time to reach out and connect…even if you don’t live in the same area. The wonders of technology bring us all just a few clicks away. Members can find contact info for these folks and other members if you log in to pnwglassguild.org and go to “For Members” (which only appears when logged in) and choose Member Contacts List.

Hilary Anthony, Eugene OR
Martin Fitch, Brush Prairie WA
Sandra Funk, Portland OR
Kim Graham, Gales Creek OR


Charlene Hale, Washougal WA
Darcy Robles, Lake Oswego OR
Daryle Ryder, Salem OR
Roxanne Thomas, Seattle WA

10 Sep 2023

Open Studio Tours – Portland and Seattle

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Please join us at one or both of the upcoming Open Studio Tours this fall! Guild members and artists skilled in fusing, blowing, stained glass, casting, jewelry, mosaic, and other art forms will have artwork available to purchase, along with demonstrations at some sites. Many of the studios are not normally open to the public, so don’t miss your chance to get a little peek into where the magic happens. Meet the artists, learn about their creative process, and find unique and beautiful items for sale. Get a head start on your holiday shopping list or buy something fabulous for yourself! Tours take place rain or shine.

Visitor enjoying the artwork at Marvelous Mosaic Fine Art Studio in Deer Island OR. It’s in an old schoolhouse: see the marvelous art and the great space where they host weekend glass retreats.

David Smith demonstrating a glass blowing technique at his North Seattle studio during the Glass and Decor Studio Tour and Sale

Portland/Vancouver area: Sept. 30 – Oct.1 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

The PNW Glass Guild Open Studios Tour features 23 artists at 9 sites in the area. Print out the flyer and map to plan your visit. Be sure to complete the form to enter a drawing for a $50 credit towards a piece of artwork. Print out or pick up a flyer at your first site and get it signed by 6 participating artists from at least 4 different sites. Drop off the signed flyer at the last site you visit and you will be contacted about a week later if you are the lucky winner!

Please print and share the flyer and the locations map to help us generate publicity :

Open Studios Flyer and Contest Form PDF
Open Studios Locations, Map and Artist Info

or share the event link: https://www.pnwglassguild.org/event/portland-open-studios-23/

Participating member artists include:

1) Marvelous Mosaic Fine Art
IS NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE

2) Shirley Bishop
36311 SE 3rd Circle, Washougal WA
Guests: Gail Haskett, Kate Nicklos,
Linda Roman

3) Evan Burnette
866 N Columbia Blvd, Portland OR

4) Lyn Kennison
6644 NE 22 Ave, Portland OR
Guests: Lesley Kelly, Sondra Radcliffe, Margie Rieff

5) Rosalind Cooper
14795 SW Kilchis Street, Beaverton OR

6) Linda Gerrard
8400 SW Maverick Terrace, Beaverton OR
Guest: Dianne Muhly

7) Margaret Eagle
17380 SW Hillsboro Hwy, Sherwood OR

8) Carlyne Lynch
6890 Molalla Bend Road, Wilsonville OR
Guests: Rose McBride, Greta Schneider

9) Mitzi Kugler
4970 Bonnet Dr, West Linn OR

Here’s a link to the Google Map

North Seattle: October 14 – 15 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Purchase items to enliven and beautify your home at the Glass and Decor Studio Tour and Sale from more than 20 artists at 6 sites in north Seattle. Glass, ceramic, wood, and mixed media artists will be present. Most sites have demos of some sort explaining how the art is made.

You will also have a chance to win a piece of art at each site you visit. Simply fill out the form at each site at which you want to enter that site’s drawing. Each site will contact their lucky winner on Sunday at 5:00 pm and make arrangements for you to pick up your prize. Our Glass And Decor Studio Tour is part of Refract, the Seattle area’s 4-day celebration of glass.

See GlassAndDecor.com for more information or to print out the map to plan your visit.

Participating PNW Glass Guild member artists include:

1) Charles Friedman
2841 NW 70th St

2) Blowing Sands Studio/David Smith 5805 14th Ave NW

3) Karen Seymour
5415 Greenwood Ave N
Guests: Lael Bennett, Kathy Johnson, Debbie Marchione

4) Janiene Fitzpatrick
204 N 73rd St

5) Fred Buxton & Sandy Spear
7001 Roosevelt Wy NE

6) Bridget Culligan
5419 Kensington Pl N

Here are a few images from previous tours to whet your appetite.

Mitzi Kugler showing her torch-working and fusing artistry in her West Linn OR studio

Carlyne Lynch’s Wilsonville OR studio will have both colorful art and fun projects for you

Margaret Eagle’s Sherwood OR studio is in an old stable that gives lots of room to look at glass.

Linda Gerarrd shows visitors the backroom of her Beaverton OR Studio where the magic happens.

Karen Seymour’s artwork on display at her north Seattle Studio during the Glass and Decor Studio Tour and Sale
During the Glass and Decor Studio Tour Bridget Culligan’s owls surveyed the visitors.
10 Sep 2023

General Meetings: Usually 4th Sunday 3:30 pm via Zoom

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Next General Meeting Sept. 24th: Custom work, 3:30 pm via Zoom

How do you do custom work without losing your shirt? This should be a really good discussion for those who do or are considering doing custom pieces. If you’ve got some experiences to share or know someone who might have, please contact VP Rachel Dollar to get in the speaker line-up (it makes things run smoothly).

October 22nd General meeting:

Vote for officers and discuss where you want the Guild to go next year. At this point we don’t have anyone willing to pick up the load from the current officers who have reached their limit of two terms. Contact the president for more info.

November 19th General meeting: Holiday Projects for Kids

10 Sep 2023

Guild Notes

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The Credit Card problem on the website is narrowed down to a couple of possibilities but still not fixed. If you try to pay your renewal and it rejects your credit card, please click the “sending check” box and push submit. The popup will give the treasurer’s address for you to mail the check. Thank you in advance for the funds to keep the Guild going.

Run for office: If you might be willing to serve a year as President, Secretary, Vice President, or Sponsorship Chair (or know someone with some relevant skills who might be convinced to run for office, i.e. you can help the nominating committee), please contact the current president for more information.

You’re part of the team: Please send in photos of your glass events, new techniques you’re trying, problems you’re having, etc. so we may include them in the next newsletter!

10 Sep 2023

Pacific NW Glass Events, past & future

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Margie Reiff shows off a project at the August picnic at Gail Haskett’s in Battle Ground WA (near Portland; yes this is a composite photo, not a strangely shaped table). The picnic at Karen Seymour’s in Seattle was also well attended but no one remembered to take photos.

Future events

Sept 30-Oct 1 Open Studios in Portland (see related article)

October 6-8 Local 14 will have members Greta Schneider and Mitzi Kugler

October 12-15 Refract: this 4-day glass celebration celebrates its 5th year in over 50 venues around the greater Seattle metro area. It is the parent event of the Guild sponsored GlassAndDecor.com studio tour on October 14-15 (see related article).

Cheryl Chapman’s Local 14 Booth from 2022

Please send us photos of your glass events!

Having a photo makes it so much easier to invite people to participate in an event next year. If you are part of or go to a glass event please take some photos and send the best 2 to the publicity team (400 to 600 px or “medium” resolution, about 500 KB, not more than 1MB).

General meetings in 2023

Zoom, usually on the 4th Sunday of most months, at 3:30 pm. Contact Rachel Dollar, our VP, if you have suggestions for future topics. You don’t need to be a member to attend our General Meetings but we would love to have you join.

Fall Events:

Logged in members can submit their events under About> Contact Us, Submit Calendar Event tab

(Guild sponsored events are in bold)

September
16-17  Edmonds Art Studio Tour, Edmonds WA
24 Guild General meeting via Zoom: Custom work
30-Oct 1 Open Studios near Portland

October
2 Guild Board Meeting via Zoom
6-8 Local 14 Art Show and Sale, Portland OR
12-15  Refract huge multi-event glass celebration, Seattle area
14-15  Glass and Decor Studio Tour, Seattle WA
22 Guild General Meeting via Zoom:
Vote for next year’s officers

November
6 Guild Board Meeting via Zoom
10-12    Best of the NW fall show, Seattle WA
18-19   Wild Arts (Audubon), Portland OR
19 Guild General Meeting via Zoom: Kids’ Holiday Projects
December
2-3   Phinney Winter Festival, Seattle WA
9 Guild Holiday Party in Beaverton OR (SW Portland)
10 Guild Holiday Party in Seattle WA

10 Sep 2023

Featured Sponsor: NW Art Glass

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NW Art Glass is celebrating 50 years!


Since 1973, our goal has been to provide the best possible selection of products at the best possible pricing along with a knowledgeable and experienced staff. We also teach classes and have an open workspace available by appointment during some parts of the year. Facebook often has our classes listed before the website gets updated.

Our focus is to encourage and support creative expression in glass. Northwest Art Glass is a worldwide supplier of art glass materials. We cover all aspects of “cold” and “warm” glass working, whether kiln work, etching, stained glass or mosaic. Our warehouse facility in Redmond, Washington offers the largest inventory of specialty sheet glass in the Pacific Northwest, unparalleled for its depth of selection. Customers are welcome to hand select their glass on site (by appointment), or may choose to have their order shipped anywhere in the world. See our website for a list of what brands we carry and specific products.

There is a large class area upstairs that many customers aren’t aware of.

(Members should log in and go to About>Our Sponsors to see the sponsor benefit offered).

Frit and glass in many sizes and from many manufacturers

Tools, molds, books and more glass.

10 Sep 2023

Thanks to our Sponsors!

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These companies and organizations are an integral part of the glass art community. We thank our Sponsors for supporting our Guild through either generous donations or by offering discounts to our Members. Please take time to thank them for their generosity when you visit their businesses.

Gold Level Sponsors




Silver Level Sponsors

Artifex Toolworks – Glass Alchemy – HIS Glass Works

24 Jul 2023

2023: July Issue

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PNWglassguild.org

Angie Heinrich, Zetamari

Upcoming events: pnwglassguild.org/events/

(Bolded events are Guild sponsored)

August 2023
6 Guild Picnic in Battle Ground WA (near Portland: NOTE new Date and Place)
13 Guild Picnic in Seattle WA
21 Candice Pratt Gallery show opening Portland
29 Deadline to register for Open Studios
(5-county Portland OR/Vancouver WA region)

September
6 Guild Board Meeting 7:30 via Zoom
16-17  Edmonds Art Studio Tour, Edmonds WA
24 Guild General meeting via Zoom: Custom work
30-Oct 1 Open Studios near Portland

October
6-8 Local 14 Art Show and Sale, Portland OR
12-15  Refract glass multi-event, Seattle area
14-15  Glass and Decor Studio Tour, Seattle WA
22 Guild General Meeting 3:30 via Zoom:
Vote for next year’s officers

Members can log in and submit their events by clicking About>Contact Us, and filling out the Submit Calendar Event form


Contents

  • Featured Artists: Bridget Culligan;
    Jane Godfrey & Sondra Radcliffe
  • President’s Message
  • 2023 Board of Directors
  • Welcome to our Newest Members
  • Editor’s Spotlight: Glass Guru Part IIl
  • Open Studios
  • General Meetings
  • Guild Notes
  • Member Benefits: Getting what you want
  • PNW Glass Events, past & future
  • Featured Sponsor: Zetamari
  • Thanks to All Our Sponsors

Read the whole issue on the website:
https://www.pnwglassguild.org/article-cat/issue-2023-07/

(If you’ve just clicked the link and are seeing this page again, scroll down)

24 Jul 2023

Featured Artist: Bridget Culligan, Seattle

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Who am I? I am a glass artist.

What drives me? Passion. Lifelong learning. No matter what you think you know, glass is in charge and continues to engage, challenge, and inspire me. From the first time I saw a hand-blown vessel, I was hooked on the liveliness of the color. I eat up the challenge. I am a person who wants to win and when an opportunity arises I am likely to say, “Well, I’ve never done that before, but YES, I can do it”, and then I find a way.

When working out a custom design I start with the intention of communicating an emotion with such power and clarity that my client can actually feel the same thing. This is miraculous! We can never be sure of course if it is the SAME feeling, but that is my goal.

How can I grow as an artist? I grow my skills through community. I have found my tribe and we geek out about all things stained glass. My community is my greatest resource. I am an apprentice learning an ancient craft from master craftsmen. From my first teacher who has been “doing stuff” for 40+ years to the wonder of watching Jim at Fremont Antique Glass, to attending conferences with SGAA [Stained Glass Association of America] and GAS [Glass Art Society], to collecting a library of books, I want to know it deeply. I am grateful to others who have been so generous with me regarding their time, experience and resources. Without them I don’t exist.

Who am I? A woman, an elder, and an explorer who is filled with curiosity and who is filling my basket with wisdom. I am a glass artist, one among a chosen, a lucky few (like you) and aren’t we blessed!

Bridget Culligan

24 Jul 2023

Featured Artists:

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Jane Godfrey and Sondra Radcliffe, Portland

Jane Godfrey and Sondra Radcliffe,
Jane is a former president of the Oregon Glass Guild.

We established Ambiente Art Glass almost 50 years ago. This is hard to believe because it seems like yesterday that we fell in love with glass. Our journey began in Cleveland Ohio where we built a solid business, owned 2 galleries, and did considerable commission work. We specialize in unique hand crafted fused and stained glass, and always find the glass process to be totally inspiring. It is an ever-evolving art form that invites new learning on a daily basis. We love it.

Fourteen years ago, after much thought, we left our beloved Cleveland life to move our well-established glass studio to Portland, Oregon to be closer to family and grandchildren. This move has been both personally and artistically challenging and rewarding as we have ventured out of our comfort zone to begin again. We still have deep roots and artistic ties to Cleveland but have also been enriched and nurtured by our family and the expansive Northwest.

In our work we are inspired by the beauty and the changing moods of the natural environment. All the arts, especially music, dance, poetry and our own photography, impact our creativity. The angst, depth, joys and blessings of life experiences also find expression in our work. We are moved by the regenerative and meditative quality of the creative process and the magical illumination of glass as it changes with the shifting light of each day and season.

As artists we are known for our sensitive use of color and texture, for fluid unusual designs, and excellent craftsmanship. During different periods of our lives we have maintained parallel careers; Sondra as an expressive arts therapist, and Jane as a psychotherapist. This has deepened our own artistic creativity and expanded our understanding of the healing potential of glass and the transforming effects of the art process itself.

This piece is 6 ft tall

[both in their 80s, they are currently working on two 120″x30″ stained glass panels for a client in Idaho]

24 Jul 2023

President’s Message

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Summer is upon us, and I hope that everyone has been able to get outside and enjoy time with their favorite outdoor activities. During a recent vacation I had the opportunity to visit a fantastic garden and some new beach areas for me. It was a great reminder that nature’s beauty is all around us and we should be inspired to create art that features our corner of the United States and all its beauty.

Don’t miss the opportunity to get together at one of our upcoming in-person picnics. It is a great opportunity to see fellow glass artists and catch up on what they are working on. Thanks to our generous hosts for opening their doors for these events, we wouldn’t be able to do so without their hospitality. Check out the dates and locations:

Battle Ground WA (near Portland) picnic:
Sunday August 6th, noon to 4 pm (NOTE CHANGES)

Seattle WA picnic: Sunday August 13th at 11 am

and RSVP today!

Sorry that I need to repeat this plea from my last newsletter message, but PNWGG is still in need of member volunteers for our upcoming year’s leadership team. A plea from the leadership of the Guild, WE NEED YOU! We are recruiting for the next group of leaders to move the Pacific Northwest Glass Guild forward and build on our past success. Our Sponsorship team lead has announced their intention to step away after their current term is over. The time to step up and volunteer has never been better, so you can learn from them over the next few months. Please reach out to any of our current board members or me at president@pnwglassguild.org anytime for more details on how you can assist us deliver great programs.

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” ~~Scott Adams

24 Jul 2023

2023 Board of Directors

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The 2023 PNWGG Board of Directors are:

  • President – Terry Thomas (need a candidate for 2024)
  • Vice President – Rachel Dollar (need a candidate for 2024)
  • Secretary – Haley Wigent (need a candidate for 2024)
  • Co-Treasurers – Linda Roman and Kate Nicklos
  • Sponsorship Chair – Linda Gerrard (need a candidate for 2024)
  • Membership Chair – Rae Williamson
  • Newsletter Chair – Greta Schneider
  • Communications Chair – Stephanie Johnston
  • Website Chair – Karen Seymour

A special thank you to Jennifer Hart who has volunteered to shadow Rachel Dollar during 2023. We are looking for other members to shadow board members in the upcoming year. This will aid in a smoother transition as new board members step up in the future. It also gives you a chance to see behind the scenes and what it takes to keep the Guild engaging and relevant in your glass journey. Reach out to Terry Thomas (president@pnwglassguild.org) to volunteer or if you have any questions.

24 Jul 2023

Welcome to our Newest Members

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Please take time to reach out and connect…even if you don’t live in the same area. The wonders of technology bring us all just a few clicks away. Members can find contact info for these folks and other members if you log in to pnwglassguild.org and go to “For Members” (which only appears when logged in) and choose Member Contacts List.

Joseph Andrich, Warrenton OR
Chris Badalian, Beaverton OR
Judy Buffo, Portland OR
John Groth, Hillsboro OR
Robin McQuiston, Bend OR


24 Jul 2023

Editors’ Spotlight: The Glass Guru, Inc, part 3

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Bob Thompson

and His Fabulous Glass from Around the World

Bob is not only a member of our guild…..but spent most of his life working with incredible glass products from all over the world that were used in mostly architectural projects. He lives in Portland OR and has also been a longtime supporter of our guild plus done classes with and purchased glass art from many of our members. He is sharing some of his unique history with glass here. This last section will show his more recent innovative use of mostly non fusible glass using special UV glues. (Note from Greta: I had seen some clear holographic glass out in the garden area at OHSU years ago and always wondered about it, It was so pretty and unusual….and it turned out to be one of Bob’s holographic products! Mystery solved!)

Bob Thompson, our Glass Guru

The photos in this section show some of the many creative examples of Bob’s glasswork using UV glues rather than kiln work and also include examples of the glass sheets with colorful holographic patterns between layers.

Even though I considered Portland to have the ‘Mother Lode’ of decorative glass in the country, only about 5% of the business came from the local area, while the majority was distributed to projects in the major cities and design centers around the country, Canada and Hawaii. An office building in Chicago was clad in Asahi glass that looked like a light gray, mottled marble, a house in Hawaii that had a hexagonal glass floor over a stream, underneath a hexagonal glass table, underneath a hexagonal glass skylight where you could watch the lychee nuts fall from the trees overhead.

“We had to laminate some clear glass to Spectrum ‘Amber Streaky’ glass to use in the overhead, surrounding valences in the U.S. Embassy in Turkey and Dan Crow was nice enough to coat some Spectrum ‘Waterglass’ in cyan dichroic for a ‘knock-your-eyes-out’ NIKE display in one of their stores in California. I also had to edge glue two pieces of a wild, psychedelic Spectrum ‘Iridescent’ glass together in order to fit into a large, back-lit display window in the Nyssa Winery in Dundee. The wife, who selected the glass, had attended the Woodstock Music Festival.

In total, working with some of the largest and most creative architects and designers in the country has been a fascinating, challenging, exciting and satisfying experience. It allowed me to write the ‘Interior Glass’ section in the ‘Interiors Graphic Standards’, published by John Wiley and Sons, the ‘Bible’ for Interior Designers and architects throughout the country. It was also a privilege to pass on some of this knowledge and dazzle the students in Joanne Thomas’s Interior Design class at PSU. It was a chance to show them many examples of glass that they would never have known existed.

In between doing everyone else’s glass projects, some 2230 at last count, I had the pleasure of dabbling in the artistic branch of the amazing material with infinite creative possibilities… glass. I was fortunate enough to be able to take classes from Linda Ethier, Morgan Madison, Gil Reynolds, Michael Dupille, the wonderful frit artist in the Seattle area at Northwest Art Glass and many at Bullseye Glass.

For many years, Gil ran the annual Hot Glass Horizons, a four day get together glass extravaganza featuring exceptional classes from the leading masters of the craft from all over the country. It was one of the best, most educational gatherings for those interested in all the different facets of the glass spectrum and offered a smorgasbord of opportunities to try so many different techniques. Every class led to an adrenaline rush to try this new and exciting adventure in glass. It also encouraged me to buy a kiln, never used and finally sold, lots of Bullseye glass and frit given away, tools that remain a mystery and boxes of molds still in pristine, unused condition.

One of the most memorable Hot Glass Horizons was in 2005 when we went to Corning, NY to see the fabulous Corning Glass Museum and the Steuben Glass Studio. You can walk from one end of Main Street to the other in about 20 minutes, but it could take days to absorb all that is in the museum. I recommend this pilgrimage to any serious glass artist sometime in their lifetime. Another wonderful opportunity was a visit to Murano, Italy to see glass at the birthplace of extraordinary glass.

After many years of glorious explorations and class exercises of limited and questionable success, I realized that time was getting short and my chances of achieving even a speck of Ann Cavanaugh expertise were getting dimmer and further from reality. I had been using UV adhesives in some of the commercial projects and liked the way it allowed me to work in three dimensions ( a definite attraction for an architect), plus, I wasn’t constrained by the limitations of COE’s and vague compatibilities, unfathomable kiln schedules, mold preps and high-priced glass. I was free to use all my textured glass scraps, anybody’s frit, cut up wine bottles, treasures from the Thrift Shop, nuggets from Michael’s and virtually anything made of glass.

It allowed the combination of fused and glued items, millefiori, beads and, with the addition of other adhesives on the market, rocks, metal and anything my fertile brain thought might artistically come together. It allowed the flexibility to do things on the work bench or dining room table at all hours of the day and night and to tap into the vast collection of flotsam and other memorabilia resources accumulated over a lifetime.

I embrace the ‘recycle and collage’ approach that allows the use of all those things we latch on to that we think would be ‘just perfect’ for that special project that resides somewhere in the dim, distant future. Over the years, I have saved up files and files of design ideas and sketches that pop into my head, periodically channeled from those creative spirits in the Universe for my use in the next multiple lifetimes. It has been a fascinating and infinitely interesting journey. The exposure to the miracle of glass will transform your life. –Bob Thompson