In Memoriam—George Kjaer, OGG’s Founder
1956-2005
OGG was born in the mind of George Kjaer, an amateur glass blower from Eugene, Oregon. He envisioned an organization that would nurture emerging glass artists, offer opportunities to network for the established artists while introducing the general public into the intricacies of the art of glass. He was a founding member of the Eugene Glass School and served as its president from inception until 2004. For years, Eugene’s reputation for glass was linked primarily to bongs and pipes, Kjaer said. But the Eugene Glass School aimed to change that. Each year about 100 students took workshops at the school from established artists from around the world. Workshops focused on utilitarian objects, such as cups, glasses, coffeepots, jewelry, paperweights and fountain pens.
Kjaer was born Nov. 2, 1932, in Clinton, Iowa, to Jens and Maria Dixen Kjaer. He married Eunice Freise on Sept. 11, 1956, in New Salem, N.D. Kjaer was board certified in neurology and psychiatry and practiced psychiatry in Eugene from 1965 to 1998.
A memorial service was held December 3, 2005 for George Christian Dixen Kjaer of Eugene, who died November 27th of lung cancer. He was 73.
Editor’s Note: I recently found my copies of past OGG newsletters from as early as January 2000. The guild started in the eyes of George Kjaer whom I met at Hot Glass Horizons. George was handing out information about the glass guild during the HGH Show and Sale event. He was the reason I got involved in the Oregon Glass Guild over two decades ago. He hosted a guild retreat at his Eugene B&B to help us get our organizational bearings. This issue of the guild’s newsletter honors the lives of influential guild members who have passed on. There have been many different iterations of the glass guild; I hope we can capture our diverse roots as we move forward
Editor’s Note: I recently found my copies of past OGG newsletters from as early as January 2000. The guild started in the eyes of George Kjaer whom I met at Hot Glass Horizons. George was handing out information about the glass guild during the HGH Show and Sale event. He was the reason I got involved in the Oregon Glass Guild over two decades ago. He hosted a guild retreat at his Eugene B&B to help us get our organizational bearings. This issue of the guild’s newsletter honors the lives of influential guild members who have passed on. There have been many different iterations of the glass guild; I hope we can capture our diverse roots as we move forward.
