Newsletter

This is the most current issue. See all archived issues.

Send News, Photos, Reviews to the newsletter editors

2026: September Issue

PNWGlassGuild.org

Pam Bielenberg


Upcoming events: pnwglassguild.org/events/
(Bolded events are Guild sponsored)

September
19 Open Studios, greater Portland area
26-27 Corvalis Fall Festival, Corvalis OR
27 Glass Brunch, Seattle WA
27 General Meeting via Zoom:
“Preparing Your Art for Posting”

October
15-18 Refract, Seattle WA
17-18 Glass And Decor Studio Tour, Seattle WA
25 General Meeting, via Zoom: voting for officers
and “Options for Glass Modeling”

November
6-8 Best of the NW, Seattle
15 General Meeting via Zoom

December
Holiday Parties!

Members – do you have an upcoming class or event? The Guild can help you promote it! Log in and submit your class or event at least 30 days in advance by clicking About>Contact Us, and filling out the Submit Calendar Event form

Contents

  • Featured Artists: Pam Bielenberg, Johnathon Tardif
  • President’s Message
  • Board of Directors
  • Welcome to Our Newest Members
  • Studio Tours and Refract
  • Teachers: Advertise Your Classes
  • Guild News
  • General Meetings
  • Recent Event Photos
  • Coming Events
  • Featured Sponsor: Orfeo Quagliata
  • Thanks to All Our Sponsors

Read the whole issue on the website:
https://www.pnwglassguild.org/article-cat/issue-2026-09/

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

Featured Artist: Pam Bielenberg, Albany OR

I am a fused glass artist belonging to the Fire and Light Glass Guild out of Corvallis, OR, and the Pacific Northwest Glass Guild. I have been fusing glass since about 2014 after I fell in love with the medium at craft shows and just had to learn how.

We built a new house during the pandemic lockdown so I was able to add a wonderful glass and craft studio in place of a spare bedroom and wire the garage for kilns.

My glass hobby brings me joy and I like to add whimsy to my work: Cocktail and beer pint ornaments (#BoozerFuser), smiling llamas and slugs, funny chickens, and yard-art flowers created by my 80-something mother. I like creating with others and miss having access to the Oregon State University Craft Center, so I make my own glass crafting groups with family, friends, and neighbors. I even prep simple projects for the many children at our house on Easter Sunday. Glass art is more fun when shared! I keep considering doing classes for small groups, but just haven’t launched that idea.

My favorite glass to create with is dichroic for jewelry, and Bullseye’s streaky with blues and/or greens for backgrounds — ocean scenes, sky with flowers, and night-time with Bigfoot, among others. I fuse with COE 90 from Bullseye.

My biggest challenge is kiln programs. I now have three kilns and mess up the firing schedules on a regular basis!

I participate in about six sales every year. The three I have coming up are

I am facing a time-crunch with my recent breast cancer diagnosis and treatments taking most of the spring and summer, my daughter’s wedding later this month, and a three-week trip to Europe planned for October, so I had better get to creating. But–maybe not as much as I would normally, since I have noticed the shows I have participated in this year have significantly lower sales than in the past. We may be in for some interesting times with the current economy. Wish me luck!

You can see more of Pam Bielenberg’s work in the Members’ Gallery

Featured Artist: Johnathon Tardif, Warren OR

Inspired by the ocean, my work explores the relationship between color, strength, transformation, and resilience. Coastlines are shaped by relentless tides, coral reefs grow over generations, and shells are polished by constant motion. Nature reminds us that beauty is not found in perfection, but in the marks left by time.

Central to my work is the Craquelle Process, my signature technique developed through years of experimentation. Through controlled thermal shock, I create intricate fracture patterns that become an intentional part of each sculpture’s identity. Rather than concealing these marks, I celebrate them as evidence of transformation, echoing weathered coral, ancient stone, and the living textures of the sea.

In his company’s name, Pneuma Glass, Pneuma means breath. Johnathon blows glass in Warrren, Oregon, north of Portland along the Columbia River.

Glass fascinates me because it mirrors the human experience. It softens under intense heat, withstands tremendous pressure, and permanently records every step of its creation. We are shaped in much the same way. The experiences that leave their mark on us often reveal our greatest strength.

My work invites viewers to look beyond perfection and discover beauty in transformation. Where every breath begins a journey, every fracture tells a story, and every sculpture reflects the relationship between nature, pressure, and resilience.

You can see Johnathon at the following shows this fall:
September 11-13 Salem Art Fair & Festival (Oregon)
September 19-20: Mill Valley Fall arts Festival (CA), Booth #13
September 26-27 Corvallis Fall Festival Corvallis Fall Festival (Oregon)
October 9-11 Wilsonville (Oregon) charbonneauarts.org Festival of the Arts
October 17-18 GlassAndDecor.com Studio Tour (Seattle, WA) site #2

President’s Message

September 2026

President’s Message: Reflecting on a Vibrant Summer & Looking Ahead

Hello Guild Members,

As we wrap up these wonderful July and August months, I want to take a moment to look back on what a vibrant, productive summer it has been for the Pacific Northwest Glass Guild. Between community outreach, local studio tours, and informal regional gatherings, our members have truly exemplified the spirit of fellowship and artistic connection.

President Barbara Kienle

Summer Highlights

  • Regional Summer Picnics: Thank you to everyone who joined us across the region:
    • July 19: Seattle, WA at the home of Karen Seymour.
    • August 15: Fairview, OR at the home of Margie Rieff.
    • August 29: Independence, OR at Maganda Glassworks.
  • Portland Saturday Market ‘Crafternoon’ (July 25): Volunteers introduced the fun of glass fusing to the general public, sparking interest in art glass and highlighting member-led classes.
  • Mid-Valley Open Studio & Tour (August 1): Organized by Maganda Glassworks in Independence, OR, our Mid-Valley region hosted a successful one-day tour featuring local artist canopy setups and open studio stops.

Upcoming Fall Events & Studio Tours

Looking ahead to autumn, we have an exciting lineup of events across our region. The Annual Portland Area Open Studios Tour (September 19–20) will open working glass studios to visitors to demonstrate techniques ranging from fused and stained glass to torchwork and kiln-forming. Finally, we wrap up the season in Washington with the Glass and Decor Studio Tour in Seattle (October 17–18), visiting five North Seattle studios to showcase Guild artists alongside guest makers as part of Refract, Seattle’s annual celebration of glass.

Membership Dues Update: To ensure we can continue offering high-quality programming, events, and educational opportunities, the Board has approved a small increase in annual membership dues—our first adjustment since 2020. The dues increase allows the Guild to continue providing a place for members to promote their upcoming shows or classes, maintain an online presence with photos of your work and contact information, participate in educational gatherings and fun events, and connect with other glass artists throughout the Pacific Northwest while keeping our vibrant art community strong and sustainable.

Looking Ahead: 2027 Leadership Openings

As we shift our focus to the fall, our Nominating Committee is actively preparing for our October elections and the 2027 leadership term.

A healthy, member-driven guild thrives on fresh perspectives and shared leadership. We have several vital Board Officer and Team Leader positions open for 2027. Serving on the board or leading a committee is a deeply rewarding way to give back to your art community, help shape our educational programming, and build lasting connections.

If you are interested in stepping into a leadership role or serving on our short-term Nominating Committee, please reach out to me.

Thank you all for your continued creativity and support throughout this summer season.

Warmly,

Barb Kienle President, Pacific Northwest Glass Guild

2026 Board of Directors

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 president Barb Kienle to volunteer or if you have any questions.

Welcome to our Newest Members

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.

Kathy Brower, Shoreline WA
Shelly Haack, Tigard OR
Maureen Hagen, Snoqualmie WA

Sandy Kallio, Woodinville WA
Beth Swain, Salem OR
William Wasner, Beavercreek OH

Studio Tours and Refract

Destination: Inspiration!

We all need a regular dose of inspiration – it’s like a multi-vitamin for creativity! You can get an extra boost of inspiration this fall at three different glass events.

Leading the way is the PNW Glass Guild’s annual Open Studios Tour in the Portland area. This long-running event on September 19-20 features six different studios, with 12 artists demonstrating a variety of glass techniques and styles and selling their work.

There will also be a drawing for $100 worth of glass art from the artist of your choice: see page 2 of the flyer for drawing details.

Suzanne Tyler worked hard to put the tour together this year. Stop by and thank her.

Carlyne Lynch always invites visitors to create something. Make an appointment if you’re interested.

Just a few weeks later, the Guild-sponsored Glass and Decor Studio Tour kicks off in north Seattle. On October 17-18, from 10 am to 5 pm, explore the work of 16 artists in five different studios located just a few miles apart.

There will be a different drawing for art at each studio so be sure to fill out the drawing forms as you look at all the wonderful work for sale. While glass art takes center stage on the tour, you can also find inspiration and information from artists working with wood, ceramics, and natural materials.

Milo Snyder’s studio will be stop # 1 on the GlassAndDecor.com studio tour and sale.

You can combine the Glass and Decor Studio Tour (above) with a variety of events, classes, studio tours, demonstrations, and gatherings that make up Refract 2026, the annual celebration of all things glass, which runs from October 15-18.

Stretching around the Puget Sound region, from Everett to Tacoma and Bainbridge to Issaquah, there’s something for all glass lovers at Refract. Fancy a tour of Dale Chihuly’s famed Boathouse Studio? Want to learn more about the evolution of glass in urban architecture? Curious about the featured film from this year’s Glass Art Society Conference? It’s all part of the Refract experience – and best of all, many of the activities are absolutely free!

Be sure to stop and see member David Smith’s exhibit on Color, Science and Glass as part of Refract. It runs Sept. 16-18 from 10 am to 6 pm at the Blowing Sands Gallery in the Ballard area of Seattle.

Studio Tours are a great opportunity to chat with an artist, learn something new, or purchase a gift for yourself or a loved one. Gas up (or charge up) your car, book a hotel room or call a friend, and make a plan to supercharge your creativity this fall.

Teachers: Do you want to get the word out about your classes? The Guild can help!

The first step is to join the Guild! Once you have done so, you can log in and go to Glass>Find a Teacher from the menu. Fill out the form at the bottom of the page so the volunteer can add you to the list. The list of member-teachers is posted at PNW Glass Guild events and often also available as a handout.

Provide class info on your Members’ Gallery profile:

Then add yourself to the Members’ Gallery. Here is the help page for doing that (the September 27th General Meeting on using Canva to resize photos will be very helpful).

Print out your general class info and take a photo of it (or make a .jpg in whatever software you use). Upload that as one of your images.

Once that image is uploaded to your profile, click on it and edit the description to fill in dates or whatever. It doesn’t allow carriage returns or much formatting. But you can use dashes or add bullets (for a bullet in Windows hold ALT key while typing 0149 on the numeric keypad, let up ALT)

Whenever you want you can go into your profile by logging in, going to Glass>Members’ Gallery and searching your name. Click your entry and then the image to change the info in the description.

If you don’t have a website, you do now. You can give out the link to your Members’ Gallery profile URL which will be something like https://www.pnwglassguild.org/my-profile/first.last/ (or whatever you picked for your user name)

Don’t forget to let the Guild know if you have upcoming classes: log in, go to About>Contact us, fill out the submit calendar event form so we can add it to the Event calendar. You can fill out the same form again to tell the volunteer that the class is now full and whether or not you are keeping a waiting list.

Guild News

Dues going up by $5 in January 2027

At the September board meeting it was decided to raise the Individual and Family annual dues rate by $5, making Individual dues $50 per year and Family dues rate $70 per year, effective January 2027. The dues increase allows the Guild to continue providing a place for members to promote their upcoming shows or classes, maintain an online presence with photos of your work and contact information, participate in educational gatherings and fun events, and connect with other glass artists throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

You can renew early and pay the old rate by logging on and going to your account, click the subscriptions tab, click to view the current subscription (most only have 1), renew, pay now. The additional time is just tacked onto the end of your existing subscription so you don’t lose any of the present subscription year.

Get involved and get even more out of your membership:

• Come to the October 26th General Meeting and VOTE for the new board.

• Consider becoming a volunteer

• Attend or participate in an event

• Reach out to a new member in your area

• Come to a regional gathering like the September 27th Glass Brunch in Seattle or a play day or one of the December Holiday Parties, or hold an event yourself: log in, go to About>contact us, fill out the “submit member event” form to send it to the volunteer to put on the calendar and send it out to the mailing list.

General Meetings on Zoom

September 27 at 3:30 pm on Zoom: “Preparing Your Art For Posting”

Join Linda Schnell for a live demo of preparing and resizing photos of your artwork to best represent them in show submissions, on social media, and on websites. She’ll use Canva as the editing tool and show common show submission sites, and how to upload pictures to PNW Glass Guild website Members Gallery pages. Linda is a PNW Glass Guild Co-Vice President and leads the Guild’s social media strategy. As a member of Parklane Gallery and Art Gallery of SnoValley artist cooperatives, she looks forward to sharing her experience preparing art photos. Log in and go to the event listing for the Zoom link.

Learn this skill and be entered in a drawing: if you submit for the November 2026 newsletter Recent Events section
• a correctly sized image of a glass event occurring between September 8th and October 26th: 600 px wide
• in JPG or JPEG format
• by email (not to my phone)
If we draw your name out of the jar you may win one of Karen Seymour’s glass bowls or a $35 gift certificate to sponsor NW Art Glass (your choice of prize)
Deadline is October 26th. Each event (not each photo so send your best) gets you one entry in the drawing but only if the photo meets the above cropping, sizing, and formatting criteria.

October 25 at 3:30 pm on Zoom “Options for Glass Modeling”

We’ll discuss various ways to model and sculpt glass including a presentation of Glass Bird’s Modeling Glass by Lois Manno. Log in and go to the event listing for the Zoom link.


Videos of recent General Meetings are under Glass>education for any logged in member to see. Videos are arranged alphabetically and we try to start the title with the main topic.

Recent Event Photos

Know or want to learn how to set up photos in WordPress? We’re looking for a volunteer to take over this section and help the Guild keep a record of what has gone on in glass.

Guild Picnic in Seattle at Karen Seymour’s:

Mel Williams shows off her waterfall.

Linda Schnell talks about creating her latest piece.

Andi Ficker (standing) explains how she cut the tiny dichro squares in the piece Wendy Campbell is holding.

Janiene Fitzpatrick presents the puzzle of a break in a piece during firing

Lael Bennett listens to a question about her drop vessels

Crafternoon Success at Portland Saturday Market

The Guild hosted its first ‘Crafternoon’ on July 25 at the Portland Saturday Market, offering two free one‑hour fused‑glass classes for the public ages eight and up. Both sessions filled quickly through the Market’s website, and participants arrived excited to dive into glass art. Attendees chose between creating a heart‑shaped suncatcher or a plant/garden stake on Tekta. We supplied a generous assortment of materials—stringers, colorful frit, and a wide mix of shapes and scraps—so each person could design something unique. After arranging their ideas on paper plates, participants transferred their layouts to glass, using glue and hairspray to secure pieces for safe transport and firing.

The event was a fun, hands‑on introduction to fused glass and a great opportunity to highlight Guild instructors and activities. ‘Crafternoons’ are typically reserved for Market artisans, so being invited to host was a special opportunity—and the Market has already asked us to return for another session due to the success of this one. This is a fun, low‑pressure volunteer opportunity for members who enjoy sharing their love of glass with the public. If you’d like to help with a future Guild‑hosted Crafternoon, please reach out to Education Team Lead Pam Archuleta

Crafternoon volunteers (l to r)
Pam Archuletta, Lyn Kennison and Barb Kienle

Bead making class in Burien WA

At the silent auction in March Linda Schnell won the bid for the bead-making class donated by Kathy Johnson . Linda invited Wendy Campbell and Karen Seymour to join her at the class in July.

(L-R) Wendy Campbell, Linda Schnell,
Kathy Johnson and Karen Seymour

Kathy Johnson making a horse bead.

Play Day in Seattle

(L-R) Wendy Campbell, Debbie Marchione, Heidi Federspiel and Karen Seymour explored several ways of making bubbles in glass intentionally.

Mid-Willamette Valley Glass Art Show

Many thanks to sponsor Maganda Glassworks LLC for hosting this first annual event in their parking lot. We also thank all those who participated.

Rose McBride

LuDell Parrett

Suzanne Tyler

Kathleen Piper

Felicia Dock

Dean Murray

Pam Bielenberg and Julie Burlock

Daryle Ryder

Maganda Glassworks LLC

Guild Picnic at Margie’s

Everyone must have been having such a good time that no one took photos. If you have some please send the best 2 or 3 to the newsletter (600 px wide, JPG or JPEG if possible)

End of August Guild Picnic in Independence OR at Maganda Glassworks

Maganda Glassworks Host Twyla Lawson’s selfie with lots of other glass folks

Steve Trehune, the drawing winner, gets a prize donated by Sponsor Bullseye Glass Company

Rockaway Beach Art Show

Barb Kienle enjoyed good weather at this 49th annual event on the Oregon coast.

Gallery show

Linda Schnell was the featured artist during August at the Parklane gallery in Kirkland, WA.

Art In The Pearl in Portland

Suzanne Tyler, Greta Schneider and Carlyne Lynch were some of those volunteering at the info table at Art In The Pearl at short notice

Thank you to all who sent photos or text:

Wendy Campbell, Twyla Lawson, Carlyne Lynch, Rose McBride, Linda Schnell, Barb Kienle, Dick & Karen Seymour (and anyone we forgot)

Please send us photos of YOUR glass events and those you attend:

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 and see one of our members, please take some photos and send the best 2 to the Newsletter team (if you can please crop and downsize to 600 px wide or “medium” resolution, JPG or JPEG, about 500 KB, not more than 1MB if you can help it: we’re doing that to around 60 photos in each issue and each one we don’t have to process lightens the load).

Coming Glass Events

General meetings in 2026

are via Zoom, usually on the 4th Sunday of most months, at 3:30 pm (no meetings in April, July, August, or December).
Contact our VPs 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. Videos of many meetings are available to logged in members by choosing Glass>Education from the menu.

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

Fall 2026:

(Guild sponsored events are in bold)

September
19 Open Studios, greater Portland area
26-27 Corvalis Fall Festival, Corvalis OR
27 Glass Brunch, Seattle WA
27 General Meeting via Zoom:
“Preparing Your Art for Posting”

October
15-18 Refract, Seattle WA
17-18 Glass And Decor Studio Tour, Seattle WA
25 General Meeting, via Zoom: voting for officers
and “Options for Glass Modeling”

November
6-8 Best of the NW, Seattle
15 General Meeting via Zoom

December
Holiday Parties!

Our glass events don’t happen spontaneously: it takes organizing and prep. Give a little time and energy, get a lot more fun, glass info and sense of community. Just a few hours a month helping one of the teams with the many ongoing, easily-learned tasks will be greatly appreciated.
For more info and contact info see the Guild News article in the July issue.

Studio Tours: Talking glass is lots of fun. Plan to attend one or more this year.

Featured Sponsor: Orfeo Quagliata

Our newest sponsor, Orfeo Quagliata, who is based in Mexico City, is a frequent visitor to the Pacific Northwest where he was a presenter at the 2026 Pilchuck Design Conference. Orfeo will return next year as an instructor for Pilchuck’s 2027 Summer session. PNW Glass Guild welcomes Orfeo as a Sponsor of our Guild. He is an industrial designer and glass artist whose work explores the potential of color, movement and light. He was born in San Francisco, raised by a family of artists, and developed a deep sensitivity to glass. His grandmother was a pioneering jewelry designer and his father is internationally renowned stained-glass artist Narcissus Quagliata. He founded Studio Orfeo Quagliata where he works with teams to create glass objects, lighting, furniture, jewelry and large-scale architectural installations.

Orpheo admiring Greta Schneider’s work

He has developed proprietary techniques with his glass work to create dynamic immersive experiences. PNWGG member Diana Wendt hosted Orfeo on his recent trip to the Northwest. She took Orfeo to the Tacoma Museum of Glass (MOG) where he was able to admire Greta Schneider’s and Mitzi Kugler’s work at the MOG gift shop. During his visit, he recently met with Greta Schneider to visit her studio and Carlyne Lynch’s studio. Carlyne was teaching Vitrigraph at Blue Dog Studio’s in Kent, Washington so Greta had the honor of taking Orfeo on a tour of both studios. Carlyne, Greta, Diana, Andrew and Orfeo have developed close relationships through Centro Quagliata and the PNWGG. Orfeo has supported the glass friends fund raising efforts for Andrew Jagels. He also donated books of his astonishing work to the Guild. Thank you and welcome Orfeo!

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.

Our Sponsors




Studio Orfeo Quagliata