Articles

Articles for Newsletters

  • Easy ways to remember what you have learned!

    Enamel by Greta Schneider

    If you do glass for a long time….like many of your fellow glass artists, you will like to take classes to learn lots of different techniques and also do experiments on your own. While some of the information seems quite simple and easy to remember….most of us will find over time…there are SO MANY ways to handle and fire glass that it is really easy to forget exactly how you created that desired affect! It really pays to keep good notes (that you can find) on what worked and what didn’t…as well as firing schedules. It also helps to make and keep notes of changes to firing schedules based on experience with your personal kiln. Every kiln fires slightly differently. Another great idea is to make simple SAMPLE SETS that clarify what happens to glass in various circumstances.

    I do a lot of dichroic work…and dichro changes a lot both with viewing angles…but especially when it is fired. If you hold a piece of dichro at about a 45 degree angle… you can see sort of what color it will be after firing… when viewed straight on. However…. when I am looking for some very specific colors….. or something more monochromatic but the varied shades are important…… I cut some very small pieces of my dichro…. and make an sample set of those colors….fired and unfired, to keep. Because your pieces will turn out better, in the long run…. the small amount of dichro you use up in the samples will actually save you money. I have included here – first some samples of just reds and oranges on black glass……(from Spirit of Glass). The raw red dichro can even look brown or green… seems illogical…. but it will fire to lovely reds and oranges. Look how much the fired colors (smaller and more rounded) change. One photo is straight on and the other at an angle. The angle gives you a clue to the fired color….but this is much easier to see in person rather than a photo.

    Red and orange dichro samples fired and unfired to see the actual color change. the smaller more rounded pieces are fired.

    This shows the same sheet of fired and unfired colors held at an angle.

    The next shot is dichro on clear glass….laid over black paper to show the colors better. As you can see…some colors change more than others…. but that is helpful to know beforehand, so your finished piece is in the color range you expected or hoped for.

    Sample set of dichroic coating on clear glass: unfired on top and fired on bottom

    The next photo (with the hearts) is of samples of colored powders mixed with clear powder. If you want to mix a color and repeat it…. do it by WEIGHT, not sight! These samples were done using a freeze-n-fuse method but just a multi-section mold works well too. It really shows how strong some colors are…..even a 20 % saturation can produce a LOT of color!

    Powder color % samples.

    Another sample set that is helpful is using lines of powders that crisscross so you not only see the actual colors…. but which ones react with each other and what color that reaction produces. With every class or project…you will learn a little more…..and if you can memorialize the information in a simple and effective way…. especially if you can produce a visual sample….(a picture is worth a thousand words)…. you will find these reference pieces to be really useful for years to come and also very helpful if you would like to explain an idea or process to someone else. It is also so nice to be able to answer a question about something at a glance…rather than stopping in the middle of a project …. and having to run tests. Have fun….(and also take notes and photos)! You’ll be glad you did.

    Copyleft: free to use for educational purposes and personal use only, with attribution.

    For more studio tips attend the January 23rd General Meeting at 3:30pm via Zoom

  • We Want Your Ideas and Suggestions

    VP Rachel Dollar


    This year the monthly General Meeting will be held the 4th Sunday of every month beginning at 3:30 pm. We are in the midst of scheduling guests and finding out what our members would like to gain from these get togethers.

    January 23rd we will have studio organization tips and tricks. If you would like sign up to share an organization tool you can’t live without please contact Rachel by email or 360-910-3377 so she can get you added to the list of guest speakers.

    February 27th the PNWGG team is having teachers share what they have learned from their students. Please let Rachel know if you would like to share your experiences.

    Other ideas we would like feedback on include:

    • How to market your business in 2022 with the increase of technology.
    • How to market on social media. What is Reddit, TikTok and how can social platforms benefit artists?
    • Share your skills sets and specialties, what are you willing to share and mentor others on?
    • How can we help each other expand our glass horizons?
    • Sharing supplies meeting, what do you need, what do you have an abundance of you wish to share. Reaching out for help with a project, or idea.

    If you want to see previous general meetings log in and go to the Glass>Education page

    We want to know what our community would like to gain from the PNWGG. All and any other ideas are welcome and can be sent to Rachel.

    Our link for finding a teacher is really taking off, thank you to Karen for getting that set up. If you would like to be added to the list of members who teach please fill out the form on the bottom of the page.

    Lets have an exciting and fun year!

  • Guild Notes

    The annual Gathering of The Guilds is currently planned to be in-person May 6th – 8th, 2022 at the Oregon Convention Center in downtown Portland. Masks and showing proof of vaccination at the door will be required.

    Details of how to apply for booths etc. will be posted as they become available, watch for the email or check back at the end of January.

    Glass Art Society in Tacoma May 18 to 21, 2022

    Registration started Nov. 15th for the Glass Art Society’s Annual Conference May 18-21, 2022 in Tacoma, WA. This huge event happens in a different city every year. GAS is celebrating its 50th year in 2022 and the conference is on our doorstep. Go and see glass from all over the world.

    Member Bridget Culligan says “I went to the GAS conference in 2018, it was my first and only GAS conference. I was blown away by so many things. The glass artists were sharing, and interesting, and fun, welcoming and kind. I attended lectures on glass history, it’s future and lots of demos by artists at the top of their games. Even though I work in stained glass/warm glass, I found it of incredible value. How lucky we are to have GAS in Tacoma in 2022. I’ll be there! and hope to meet you there too.”

  • Exploring Your Member Benefits, Part 3:

    You Have a Voice

    What do you want out of the Guild to further your glass-artistry growth? Speak up.

    There’s reciprocity in any organization: the more energy you contribute, the more you get out of it.

    “I’ve been a member for almost 2 years. But these have been Covid years. I joined because there was a discount for members in the on-line contest. Then I started attending the Guild’s General Meetings via Zoom and volunteered to help with the new website and newsletter. Then I started going to Board meetings to see how the decisions were being made.

    Instead of feeling isolated by Covid restrictions, I have lots of new glass friends: I know who to call if I want help exploring new areas like dichro or cane pulling or lots of other things. Someday I’ll even get to meet these inspiring new friends in person.” (Karen Seymour, Seattle)

    Karen Seymour masked

    Things YOU can do to get more out of your membership:

    1) You don’t even need to be a member to attend the General Meetings. “Studio tips” (members showing how they solved their organizing and other studio issues) is coming up January 23rd. Since meetings are Zoom you don’t even have to leave home. This year they will be from 3:30pm to 5pm on the 4th Sunday of most months.

    These are NOT business meetings, they are discussions of various topics of interest to glass artists. Sometimes it’s a very narrow topic like “How Fusing Temperature Affects Texture”, sometimes of much wider interest like “Pricing Your Work” or “Lighting”. Meeting videos are posted in Glass>Education on the website for logged in members to view if they missed a meeting or want to review a topic.

    2) Send meeting ideas or volunteer to share your insights to our VP Rachel Dollar. She’s currently looking for “Studio Tips” for January 23rd and “What I learned From My Students” (tips on teaching glass classes) for February 27th. Watch some of the meeting videos and you’ll see it’s not scary, just talking for a few minutes to a group of friends.

    3) Share any ideas with our President, Terry Thomas by email or just by typing them in the survey form.

    4) Go a step further and attend a Board meeting to participate in the discussion of how we implement your idea. The next Board meeting is Monday Feb. 7th at 7pm via Zoom. Members can go to email prefs in their account settings to sign up for the “Guild Business” emails to get the agenda and Zoom links for Board meetings

    5) Volunteer: you can start small by helping with or hosting a Play Day or helping Rachel with a General Meeting. If you’re in the Portland area Gathering Of the Guilds in May will need lots of volunteers. Or join one of the teams with on-going projects.

    6) Host an event: The Guild has an established presence in the Portland OR area for historic reasons but wants to help glass events throughout the Pacific NW. Doing so in your city requires a member in your city to lead the effort. If not you, then who?

    When you ask the Guild to sponsor your event you’ll get website, newsletter, email, and Facebook publicity plus you can usually find a member who has done a similar event to give you some tips and answer questions.

    Guild Picnic in Seattle, August 2021

    You have a voice: use it and you’ll get much more value from your membership.

  • Pacific NW Glass Events: past & future, Jan. 2022

    The November General Meeting is now posted as two Videos

    Holiday Ideas 21 is half of the meeting.

    Rae Williamson’s holiday gathering
    • Linda Gerrard suggests an on-line class as a gift and shows results from an on-line class she took from Marguerite Beneke,
    • Greta Schneider inspires making gifts with dichro
    • Suzanne Tyler uses scrap and frit to make several possible gifts
    • Rachel Dollar shows a holiday glass block idea
    • Rae Williamson assembles her holiday panorama and suggests some reverse painting classes with two new members: Sarah Miller and Cheryl Chapman

    Tools: favorites for 2021 is the other half of the meeting.

    Lyn Kennison demonstrates extreme nippers
    • Lyn Kennison (Fletcher Designer II cutter, QEP Extreme Nippers, Narrow Metal Running Pliers)
    • Carlyne Lynch (PMC150 DarteGlass Pneumatic Murrini Chopper, Nipeeze nipper, and “Glass Cutter Hand Tool” about $19.50 on Amazon)
    • Rachel Dollar (Fletcher Designer II wide head to cut thick glass)

    General meetings in 2022

    will be on the 4th Sunday of most months at 3:30pm via Zoom. You don’t even need to be a member to attend. Help make the next two especially informative by volunteering to share your insights:

    January 23rd General Meeting: Studio tips January 23rd from 3:30 pm to 5 pm join us on Zoom for a show and tell of tips from our members on organizing your studio, your inventory etc.” Please contact Rachel Dollar

    February 27th General Meeting: What I’ve learned from my students: Have you ever wondered what it takes to teach a glass class? Some of the PNW’s experienced glass teachers talk about things they’ve learned about teaching glass classes through the process of teaching it. Join us February 27 at 3:30pm on Zoom. See our find a teacher page if you are looking for a member who gives classes or want to be listed on that page.

    Contact our new VP Rachel Dollar so she can arrange a speaker order. She also wants to hear your suggestions for future topics

    Spring events:

    (Guild sponsored events are bolded)

    Members can submit glass related events to the calendar with this form

    January

    6 Board Meeting 7pm via Zoom

    23 General Meeting 3:30pm: Studio Tips via Zoom

    February

    7 Board meeting 7pm via Zoom

    9-13 NW Flower and Garden Show, Seattle WA

    27 General meeting 3:30 pm: What I’ve learned From My Students via Zoom

    March

    27 General Meeting 3:30 pm via Zoom

    April

    23-24 Art In Bloom garden art studio tour, Seattle WA

    23-24 Best of the NW spring show, Seattle WA

    24 General Meeting 3:30 pm via Zoom

    May

    6-8 Gathering Of The Guilds, Portland OR

    Please send us photos of glass events!

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

  • Featured Sponsor: Blue Fire Molds

    Creative Ceramics & Glass and Blue Fire Molds is a company dedicated to providing quality slumping molds for the glass professional and hobbyist. We have been in the ceramics industry for over 30 years and have been dedicated to providing fine quality ceramic products for many needs. Our expert staff will assist you with any questions concerning the glass and mold industry.

    Creative Ceramics & Glass and Blue Fire Molds has a large inventory of glass molds for your use including the common shapes and many unique shapes for a variety of uses. Many of our molds have sidewalls for ease of use and when appropriate have side holes to help in the distribution of heat while the glass is being slumped in the kiln.

  • Thanks to our Sponsors!

    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

    Skutt logo

    Silver Level Sponsors

    Colour de Verre – Artifex Toolworks – Glass Alchemy – D&L Art Glass – HIS Glass Works – Bonny Doon

  • 2021: November Issue

    PNWglassguild.org

    Holiday Gathering from Rae Williamson

    Upcoming events: pnwglassguild.org/events/

    (Bolded events are Guild sponsored)

    November

    20 Puget Sound Artists’ Gift Show, Edmonds WA
    20-21 Wild Arts (Audubon), Portland OR

    26 Happy Thanksgiving!

    Heads up: Registration started Nov. 15th for the Glass Art Society’s Annual Conference May 18-21, 2022 in Tacoma, WA. This huge event happens in a different city every year. GAS is celebrating its 50th year in 2022 and the conference is on our doorstep. Go and see glass from all over the world.

    December
    4-5 Phinney Winter Festival, Seattle WA
    12 Guild Holiday Party via Zoom

    January
    (TBD) Guild Board Meeting via Zoom

    Contents

    Featured Artists: Fred Buxton, Charlene Fort

    Holiday Ideas

    Guild Holiday Party

    President’s Message

    PNWGG Board of Directors

    Welcome to the New 2022 Board Members

    Guild Notes

    Exploring Member Benefits Part Two

    Regional Glass Events, past & future

    Featured Sponsor—Pacific Art Glass

    Thanks to All Our Sponsors

    Read the whole issue on the website:
    https://www.pnwglassguild.org/article-cat/issue-2021-11/

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

  • Featured Artist Fred Buxton, Keyport , WA

    Fred in his studio.

    I am a native of Washington State, living most of my life on the Kitsap Peninsula, just a ferry ride from Seattle. I was raised in a family of highly creative people and dabbled in various mediums including pottery, sketching, painting, and metal work. Art has always been part of the fabric of my life, but I never really considered myself an artist (sound familiar?). When I retired in 2011, I had intentions of becoming a metal sculptor, but found it to be too much like the work I had done early in my career in the Shipyards.

    I have been fascinated with fused glass since the early 1980’s when I met a couple of glass artists during a local studio tour. In 2014, I was introduced to a local glass artist who needed display stands fabricated. Being a welder, I worked out a deal to make stands in trade for lessons. I immediately fell in love with kiln formed glass and knew I had found my medium for artistic expression. After working out of a cramped corner of my garage for two years, I built a studio and began offering basic fusing classes. In 2019, I joined Loraine Wolff at Waterfront
    Glass Studio where I currently create and teach.

    I feeI indebted to many people in the glass community who have shared their knowledge and
    experience. I have been inspired by and taken classes from some of the best artists in the field
    including Michael Dupille, Ann Cavanaugh, and Donna Sarafis.

    I believe as artists, we should
    always be learning and growing. Next on my list to take classes from are Miriam DeFiore, Paul
    Messink, and Linda Humphrey.

    Although I love trying almost anything that can be done with glass in a kiln, my main focus is
    Impressionistic landscapes and the human form. I work primarily with sheet glass, frit and
    occasionally enamel paint to create my images. To achieve clarity and depth in my pieces, I
    developed a technique I call my “flip technique” where I work on both sides of the glass and
    then fuse layers together. I start each piece with a vision and a plan. But as anyone with fusing
    experience will tell you, glass melting in a kiln does not always do what is expected. One of my
    mentors gave me the most profound advice: “Go where the glass takes you”.

    My love of sculpture and curiosity for all things done with glass in the kiln has me exploring and
    experimenting with glass casting. Learning mold making, sculpting and developing firing
    schedules for casting are a whole new adventure and completely different than painting
    landscapes with frit.From 2016 through 2019, I taught “Painting Landscapes in Frit” classes
    at my home studio and at studios around the country. I hope to begin teaching again in 2022
    with a plan to do individual or small classes where I can provide more personal instruction.

  • Featured Artist Charlene Fort, (formerly from Hood River, OR) …now living in Texas

    This is what my world has become: I think, talk, and breath glass. I dream about it, I wonder about it, I envision things with it. OK enough. You get the picture. Some history is due here. When I was about 6 years old, my mother took me on a “special” weekend down to Colorado Springs, Colorado to visit different places. One of the places we went there was a glassblower demonstrating how to blow glass. The fascination that it held to that 6-year-old child went so deep into my psyche that when I turned 50, it emerged again into full blown passion

    Charlene’s beautiful blown glass


    We had moved into Hood River, Oregon from Texas. In looking for things of interest to do, I ran across a Community Education course that Linda Steider was teaching. It was a 6-week long class on fused glass. Her description brought back images of the glassblower to my brain. Not knowing that fusing was different than blowing, I imagined being in that arena of hot glass and playing with it. After the second 6-week course with Linda, I told her that “this is interesting but so predictable. Wasn’t there something else that you played with that involved hot glass?” Needless to say, I was simply shouting out my own ignorance about the predictability of this medium. Linda graciously referred me to Andy Nichols who had just quit his job to become an artist in hot glass. I called him and immediately got into his first class.

    Charlene Fort and Andy Nichols

    After several 6-week sessions with Andy, he asked me if I would become his assistant. Of course, it took nearly 3 nano-seconds to reply in the positive. Nearly 20 years later we are still together. The quality of education I received from both Linda and Andy have instilled in me a desire to do things to the BEST of my ability. Even though I have a new location in Texas, my home is with Andy in the hot-shop. This is something I have had to put to rest temporarily but I’m certain I will return to play with him at the end of a hot pipe soon.


    As we age, we find the body refuses to be gracious in the things we expect of it. So, the weight of the pipe and glass was beginning to strain the forearm near the thumbs. The constant turning of the pipe with the added weight extended nearly 5 feet away from the center of your body, began to take its toll. Because of that, I realized I really needed to get more into the “predictability” of the fusing process.

    Every time that I open the kiln and find something didn’t quite work out the way I envisioned it, I think back to my arrogant statement to Linda. I have quietly learned that THERE IS NOTHING PREDICTABLE ABOUT GLASS. Unless you are Bullseye’s research team.

    Really, there are so many considerations to be aware of with this medium and the techniques that others have developed and gladly shared make this a lifetime challenge. Currently I don’t have a studio. We have engaged a builder to build a studio, however, the time of year here in south Texas has not lent itself to much progress. The land has been excavated for the concrete guys to come pour the foundations and floor. However, between two severe rainstorms and a tornado, the rich black clay soil is still too wet to lay the foundation.

    Patience is my new catch-phrase.When the studio is completed, my goal is to be able to have fellow teachers come down here and teach a class. This area is ripe for glass to be introduced. I have numerous neighbors just waiting to get into this studio. We have a guesthouse that is waiting for teacher and student bodies to occupy. Life sure is interesting. ——Charlene Fort

  • Holiday Ideas the Whole Family Can Make

    Happy Holidays from the Newsletter Team

    https://youtu.be/oNFPvN_uYsE
    Glitzy Ornaments with Lisa Vogt

    https://youtu.be/5WgOLp-GyaE
    Gnome Ornaments with Full Moon Loon

    https://youtu.be/6kZO97Oj2Os
    Fused Glass Fold up T Lights with Tabithas Glass Emporium

    https://youtu.be/grIGJeyCsVI
    Fused Glass Enchanted Festive Forest with Tabithas Glass Emporium

    https://youtu.be/KmgAX-Clf9U
    Making Flower Pot Garden Gnomes with Ghislaine Sabbagh-Hughes

    https://youtu.be/1d7bAUzz5Og
    How to make stained glass Christmas tree ornaments with Art by Cheryl Ann

    https://youtu.be/Ua84txZTarg
    used Glass Poinsettias with Capt Mike

    https://youtu.be/mJSAaOUYjS8
    Fused Glass Holiday Trees and Wreath with Glasshoppa

    https://youtu.be/UpVar_MtJeY
    Fused Glass Ornament Tutorial with Paula Andrews

    https://youtu.be/JQUpoRWK9tw
    Fused Glass Snowflake with Petra Kaiser

    https://youtu.be/Vi_X_TA0ZQg
    Fused Glass Star Ornament with Creative Paradise Inc

    https://youtu.be/-uNnpZvyoNA
    Making Fused Glass Ornaments with Jeff Pritchard

    https://youtu.be/dsY4uUQpZzY
    Glass Fused Mr and Mrs Rudolph Christmas Ornaments with Arrowroots arts and glass

    https://youtu.be/l6ta6eUYyWE
    Glass Fused Christmas Penguins with Arrowroots art and glass

    https://youtu.be/sarghzICPs4
    Holiday Trees with Roz Stanton

    https://youtu.be/OC_onRj_58M
    Reusable GLass Gift Tags with Jamasion Schuler

    https://youtu.be/OC_onRj_58M
    Melted Snowman Christmas Ornament with Fused Glass Artwork

    Rae Williamson’s holiday glass in process
    Rae Williamson’s reverse painting

  • Guild Holiday Party Dec. 12th via Zoom

    Connect with your glass friends and make new ones. All members are invited to the party at 3:30 PM December 12th on Zoom. Make a toast and discuss your glass plans for next year.

    There will be an optional draw-a-number gift exchange with the added twist of being able to steal a gift from someone else. Gifts are generally in the $30 range. Keep your gift item small in case you have to mail it. The Zoom link will be available to logged-in Members on the event page closer to the date.

    Invite a few glass friends to join you in front of one computer for the party!

    Here’s a toast from last year

  • President’s Message

    Lyn Kennison

    I would like to congratulate and welcome Terry Thomas as our new President, Rachel Dollar as Vice President, Haley Wigent as Secretary and, Linda Roman and Kate Nichols as Co-Treasurers. They will bring new ideas and energy to the Board and the Guild. I will still be part of the Board as Past President and here to help wherever I can. I have grown personally over the past two years serving as President in confidence, patience and tact. Friendships were developed that will continue.

    It was difficult for all of us with Covid and trying to develop the new website. All of that is behind us now with the website up and running and it is so much better than before. I truly appreciate all the hard work that was done by so many people to get us to where we are today. We managed to have a virtual Gathering of the Guilds, endless meetings and many play dates where we got to know each other better and learn new skills … all virtually! We all worked together through very difficult times and the ever present computer challenges to keep the Guild going and expanding. Thank you all!

    The Holiday Party is scheduled for December 12th 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm. The Zoom link will be posted on the event on the website and you just need to log in to access it. It is a time we can talk about what went well and what we want to change going forward. We will do a voluntary White Elephant Gift Exchange game which can be so much fun. If you are choosing to participate just have a gift to give away that is affordable to mail if necessary. We will also raise a glass of your choice of beverage to toast the New Year and all the possibilities it holds.


    Thank you for your support over the past two years as your President and I hope to meet more of you in the months ahead. Sending happy glass outcomes to each and everyone of you.

    Wishing you Happy and safe Holidays, Lyn

  • 2021 PNWGG Board of Directors

    President – Lyn Kennison

    Past President – Mitzi Kugler

    Vice President – Sue Merritt

    Treasurer – Lesley Kelly

    Secretary – Pat Bracknell

    Team Chairs

    Communications Chair – Charlene Fort

    Membership Chair – Rae Williamson

    Sponsorship Chair – Linda Gerrard

    Newsletter Co-Chairs – Greta Schneider and Rae Williamson

    Web Master – Needed

    Interested in helping out, see the list of other positions available, we would love to have you on the team.

    Any comments, suggestions or questions about the PNWGG Newsletter, please contact Greta or Rae

  • Meet our new Board of Directors for 2022!

    A Warm Welcome and a Big Thank You
    To the New Members of the Board of Directors

    Terry Thomas – President

    Terry Thomas: I am a Southwest Washington based Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde member. I have been honing my skills in glass for the past several years and have experience in various forms of glass art creation from glass blowing, modeling glass, vitrigraph, glass on glass mosaic and fused glass.


    I am inspired by the beauty of beaches and animals with blue herons being my favorite. Glass is my medium of choice because of the science involved in creating the final art piece and it’s versatility of forms. My largest scale projects have included a 33″ x 40″ blue heron glass on glass mosaic and four 14″ x 34″ panels.

    Rachel Dollar – Vice President

    Rachel Dollar: I help run Marvelous Mosaic Fine Art with my sister Kory Dollar. We specialize in glass on glass mosaics, fusing and vitrigraph. We teach glass on glass mosaics, fusion inclusions and vitrigraph. Our classes are held monthly just outside of Portland and 20 minutes from Longview, WA. Creating is my passion and I am excited to grow the PNW Glass Guild and help put on great events for the members.

    Lyn Kennison will continue to serve on the Board as Past President. We thank her for her ongoing service.

    Haley Wigent – Secretary

    Haley Wigent: I currently live in Gresham, OR. I started out working on some basic stained glass work when I was 7-8 years old with my grandmother who has been doing stained glass for over 50 years now. After taking some time off for music school and starting a business with my partner I built a stained glass studio. I primarily worked on small sun catchers and jewelry so my studio was completely lead free. About a year ago I discovered glass on glass mosaic and went to a Marvelous Mosaic workshop. Within the last year I have worked on several mosaic pieces as well as learning new glass techniques and applications. I love to take inspiration from my surroundings so most of my work features landscapes and animals.

    CO – TREASURERS:

    Linda Roman and Kate Nicklos

    Linda Roman: My experience in glass is very recent. l’m very interested in mosaic glass on glass. At this point I have taken two classes from Kory Dollar at Marvelous Mosaic and have truly enjoyed it. I also have experience in pottery and took many classes when living in Rochester NY. I look forward to joining the board in January.

    Kate Nicklos: I am a glass hobbyist who has had the opportunity over the last 15 years to take classes from many remarkable & talented glass artists since moving to the PNW. Fusing piqued my interest from it’s earliest stages and I would include visits to glass manufacturers when traveling in the PNW long before moving here. Being introduced to the PNWGG, previously OGG, just a few years ago provided another venue of learning & comradery. Though I hope to pursue glass fusing more consistently when I fully retire, it’s a privilege to support this organization of creative people that has opened those venues for me & others to pursue this passion. I look forward to serving as the assistant to the Treasurer.

  • Guild Notes

    The Guild’s Facebook Page has a new moderator: Thank you Kory and Rachel Dollar for volunteering.

    New Video: Logged-in members can now see the video of October’s General Meeting on Lighting

    Speakers include:

    Transformed candle lanterns (Suzanne Tyler)
    Appliqued lanterns with solar power (Karen Seymour)
    Glass with LEDS (Candice Pratt)
    Pole lamps with both fused and stained glass techniques (Janine Shelley)
    Lighting Hardware (Sky Archuleta)
    3-d printed cast pendant lamps (Milo Snyder’s video)

    The November meeting video on Favorite Tools and Holiday Ideas will be available soon from the menu Glass>Education

    Glass Art Society in Tacoma May 18 to 21, 2022

    Member Bridget Culligan says “I went to the GAS conference in 2018, it was my first and only GAS conference. I was blown away by so many things. The glass artists were sharing, and interesting, and fun, welcoming and kind. I attended lectures on glass history, it’s future and lots of demos by artists at the top of their games. Even though I work in stained glass/warm glass, I found it of incredible value. How lucky we are to have GAS in Tacoma in 2022. I’ll be there! and hope to meet you there too.”

    Early Bird registration for GAS members and Vendor Registration for the Vendor Exhibits.

  • Exploring Your Member Benefits, Part 2:

    The Members’ Gallery


    There are 3 pages of Members in our Gallery already. On the top menu it’s Glass>Members’ Gallery

    The Members’ Gallery serves several purposes, among them are:

    • Introducing members to each other.
    • Showing off the range of member work to potential new members.
    • Showing member websites to people looking for art, custom work, mentors, or instructors in their area.


    To be listed in the Gallery you need to do 3 things:

    1) upload a background image, which can be anything from a closeup to a montage of your work. (Please save any text or logos for your profile page)

    2) Add a small headshot (200 px) to help us link your appearance to your name and work: we will eventually get back to in-person events.

    3) Click yes on the “Show My Profile in the Members’ Gallery” in your account settings

    Optionally (and we strongly encourage you to do it) you can a few sentences and up to 9 images on your profile page. This is the page you go to if you click on the member’s image in the Gallery. You can see/add info about each image on your profile page by clicking on it. PLEASE size these images properly or your page will take forever to load.

    For more detailed instructions log on and see the website help page Members Gallery: adding your work.

  • Regional Glass Events: Reviews & Upcoming, Nov. 2021

    Images from some events this Fall:

    Open studios in both Portland (September) and Seattle (October)

    Marvelous Mosaics with Kory and Rachel Dollar and several other members, Portland Open Studio September 2021
    Margaret Eagle’s with Holly Crilly and Sharon Dunham, Portland Open Studio September 2021
    Linda Gerrard’s with Diane Muhly Portland Open Studio September 2021
    Carlyne Lynch’s with Greta Schneider and Lisa Mustain, Portland Open Studio September 2021
    Kathy Johnson and Lael Bennett in Seattle October 2021
    Karen Seymour and Lorena Shaufler in Seattle October 2021

    Holiday events:

    (Guild sponsored events are bolded)

    November

    20 Puget Sound Artists’ Gift Show, Edmonds WA
    20-21 Wild Arts (Audubon), Portland OR

    Heads up: Registration started Nov. 15th for the Glass Art Society’s Annual Conference May 18-21, 2022 in Tacoma, WA. This huge event happens in a different city every year. GAS is celebrating its 50th year in 2022 and the conference is on our doorstep. Go and see glass from all over the world.

    December
    4-5 Phinney Winter Festival, Seattle WA
    12 Guild Holiday Party via Zoom (see related article)

    January
    (TBD) Guild Board Meeting via Zoom

    Please send us photos of glass events!

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

  • Featured Sponsor : Pacific Art Glass

    It all started in Jr. High with a Ronco Bottle & Jug Cutter and an infatuation with tools, crafts and Scout badges. John knew he would make his living with his hands but when he saw a teacher working on a stained glass window, the fascination with Art Glass began.

    The first windows built in his dad’s garage brought in a lot more cash than mowing lawns. It was only natural that his first job after high school was a small stained glass shop in El Segundo, CA that he opened with his brother Steve (now a Pastor). Besides, in the mid 70’s it seemed the best way to avoid having to get a haircut.

    Business was good and soon John needed a helper. Today that helper is the workshop manager. Saturday class came next because if we didn’t pass it on, the craft would die like so many other noble endeavors. To provide for students and friends he bought glass and supplies to sell.

    Along the way a used hand beveling machine became available and a loan from dad made it all happen. John Williams found this to be the winning combination: Goods, Services, & Craft. This was the natural progression of Pacific Artglass.

    Goods: We wish to provide the best in Art Glass tools and materials at the best price. In doing so we hope to proliferate the Art Glass craft by making those hard to find items available to students and the Art Glass professional. Some of the relationships with our vendors go back 25 years or more. We have all grown up together. If you need something special, Jim Dunham, our warehouse manager can probably order it for you. We support and protect our retailers. We will only sell wholesale to a bona fide re-seller or professional glass studio.

    Services: we fabricate or acquire components for commercial artists and hobbyists alike. Whether it be small dichroic glass shapes, cut on our water jet, laser etching or custom cut and polished bevels, we are considered to be the studio of choice by many successful designers. We also have some fine designers on our staff as well. For more information, see: Services.

    Craft: We talk about craftsmanship, that mysterious mix of technical skill and artistic inspiration that is so elusive. It never was just about the money. Even though John is known in architectural circles as one of the best glass benders in the business, he is still involved in the beginning fusing class, given four times a year. For us, “craft” is something that is always in balance, science and art, tradition and innovation, all at the same time.

    In our leaded glass workshop we may be restoring an antique, museum quality church window, while in our art department we can accept any digital file format for your production job, be it glass-etching, water jet cutting or custom bevels.

    Simply, we are a family business. We hope to be a part of your family as well.

  • Thanks to our Sponsors!

    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

    Skutt logo

    Silver Level Sponsors

    Colour de Verre – Artifex Toolworks – Glass Alchemy – D&L Art Glass – HIS Glass Works – Bonny Doon