By Brad Copping

I have recently come to understand that there is a season for glassware use in Japan and that season is summer.  With the onset of warm weather many Japanese homes will put away the ceramics and bring out the glassware with its transparent, light-catching qualities, providing a suggestion of refreshing coolness, revealing another layer to the depth of refinement within the culture.  My all too brief experience last fall with Japan and some of the glass artists working there left a lasting impression, as have the sounds and images from Japan, which I, like many, became obsessed with on March 3, 2011.  With the passing of the first season of glass since the devastation in north eastern Japan, I thought Contemporary Canadian Glass magazine (CCG) should check in with some of the artists I met in Japan and get their thoughts on the catastrophe and its ongoing consequences.  In addition to this, please also check out Rika Kuroki’s article March 11^th – Then and Now and Tomoko Doi’s piece, translated by Ryoko Sato, entitled 3/11 Earthquake in Japan – Glass and Ceramics.

We lost many lives and the city from the tsunami. Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. Photo by Kanami Ogata

Kanami Ogata, who was featured as part of the recent CCG article Sandbox, A Japanese Art Collective, was born and raised in Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture, where her parents and family continue to live.  And although she now lives in Yokohama she has spent a great deal of time since the disaster helping her family.  She says that, “My family and birthplace were devastated by the Tsunami but my family survive. Now I help my family to live – debris removal, bureaucratic procedures… and Miyagi prefecture is located next to Fukushima prefecture where the nuclear energy plant has had a big accident.”

The building and boat were destroyed by the tsunami. Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. Photo by Kanami Ogata

As a result, the people living in Miyagi are also greatly concerned about the radiation.  “We are listening to ‘There’s no need to worry about it’ from the government of Japan and the electric power company.  But, we hang in doubt.  Tokyo, (a half hour north of Yokohama) is farther from Fukushima than Miyagi, but people living in Tokyo hang in doubt also… we feel alarm.”  This alarm may prove to be justified as very small radioactive hot spots have been found in both cities according to a recent article from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Street in Ishinomaki destroyed by tsunami. Photo by Kanami Ogata

Ms. Ogata, whose student participation in the Niijima International Glass Art Festival was awarded with a scholarship to the Pilchuck Glass School, did manage to get away to attend Bertil Vallien’s class in Session 5.

Insect specimens washed away. Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. Photo by Kanami Ogata

Harumi Yukutake, an independent artist who has taught for 10 years at the Toyama City Institute of Glass Art and has been a Member of the Institute of Environmental Art and Design in Japan since 2002, also wrote to me earlier in the summer with her thoughts on the disaster.  She says:

The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami resulted in catastrophic damage to northern mainland Japan. Tokyo, where I reside, was not immediately affected yet many have experienced a very confused market distribution and transportation system, which threatened our daily life.  Then the Fukushima nuclear plant failure followed to increase the anxiety.  What seemed “normal” doesn’t feel normal after realizing the base of our convenient life.

Tsunami damage in Unosumai near Kamaishi-city. Photo by Harumi Yukutake

9/11 was caused by a despicable human act whereas 3/11 was caused by natural forces.  However both resulted in the same questioning of the social structure.  Isn’t the social structure based on others’ sacrifices?  The traumatic experience caused a mental shift to the residents of Japan, at least a big one for me, and people strive to do what they are capable of doing in their own field.  Art feels powerless immediately after such disaster, but art has excellent ability to reveal the essence of reality and present a dream and hope to people.

Tsunami damage in Unosumai near Kamaishi-city. Photo by Harumi Yukutake

I visited Kamaishi-city of Iwate prefecture, one of the areas most severely destroyed by the tsunami.  The city organized a revival plan advisory meeting with various voluntary professionals to create a more attractive cityscape than existed in the past.  This study group is to be continued until the government makes a decision regarding a basic plan in September, and will keep us busy drawing pictures throughout the summer.

Tsunami damage in Unosumai near Kamaishi-city. Photo by Harumi Yukutake

Fear regarding natural disasters, such as earthquakes and volcanoes, won’t be exhausted in Japan, though my current concern is the confused politics which obstruct the shutting down of nuclear plants in danger and delay in pulling people’s hopes and energies back up.  It seems the human disaster is worse than that of natural causes.

Tsunami damage in Unosumai near Kamaishi-city. Photo by Harumi Yukutake

To see more of what has happened this past summer in Unosumai near Kamaishi-city, check out this high-speed video, 69 days in 3 minutes.

Peter Ivy and his wife Makiko Nakagami live and work in Toyama, which is on the west coast of Japan across what is known as the Japanese Alps.  Peter is a transplanted American and has built his own studio where he creates both sculpture and functional glassware.  He writes: 

You know its funny.  We here in our corner of Japan are quite disconnected from the whole event.  Of course during the time of the tsunami and nuclear disaster we were very concerned, but once the outcome became clear the issue barely made the news.  Many people here offered housing for people in need – but I did not hear of even one person taking someone in.  Many people have donated work and/or money for relief, which of course has been necessary.  But the majority of the expense of such a disaster is, in actuality, the preparations necessary to make sure that it does not happen again.  For example, the quake in 1995 in Kobe, though similar in magnitude, did much more property damage and resulted in many more deaths.  Tokyo and other metropolitan areas shaken in March survived very well in comparison.  This must be due in no small part to the lessons learned in Kobe.  Structures were redesigned, new codes implemented.  Likely many buildings/bridges were retrofitted with new technology.  All at great expense, no doubt. 

Of course cleaning up the nuclear spill has been and will continue to be expensive.  But in comparison to getting all the other aging but still needed nuclear plants up to the task of withstanding the next big tsunami, there is still much to be done here.  It is a very heavy and long-term expense. (Editor’s note: there are 18 power stations with over 60 operating reactors as well as 11 research reactors in Japan.)  Gas prices will remain high.  Highway tolls will not be reduced as planned.  Much is being done but we are not really privy to the inner workings of it.  So I often have heard from outside of Japan about how much suffering there is here.  But, honestly, I have seen only slightly more of it than you.  It is not a part of daily life here for us and for probably 95% or more of the population in Japan it was just something that we saw on the news.  Of course we worried more about it.  And we know someone, people close to the disaster area, and worried about them.  But unlike most from outside Japan seem to think we have not been in contact with any of the difficulties of the disaster other than the many smaller quakes which rumbled though our area in the following months.  I guess that what I’m trying to say is that for most of Japan the suffering and difficulty that has resulted from the disaster is more akin to a dull long pain like that of a puncture wound.  My hat is off to the Japanese.  The fact that this earthquake did not result in much greater damages and death is a testament to their communal resolve.  Behind closed doors, further preparations are being made for future disasters of such magnitude and extremes will be gone to as they are implemented.  The working classes will pay for them.  Life is expensive here because it is a communal given that everyone’s life is valuable.

From Museum of Vancouver

Neon Vancouver/Ugly Vancouver is an exhibition about Vancouver’s love/hate relationship with neon signs, which explores Vancouver’s gritty, urban past at the Museum of Vancouver (MOV). Opening October 13, 2011, Neon Vancouver/Ugly Vancouver presents a fascinating look at the rapid growth of neon signs throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s, and the visual purity crusade that virtually banished them from Vancouver streets.

01. Smiling Buda neon sign photo by Walter Griba

“The exhibition raises interesting questions about how we collectively construct the way our city is portrayed,” says Neon Vancouver/Ugly Vancouver curator, Joan Seidl, Director of Exhibitions and Collections at MOV.  “There was a real push in the 60s and 70s to redefine Vancouver as a green, natural space. While we may love neon today, there was a real outcry against neon signs, which represented a more industrial, urban city.”

02. Drake Hotel neon sign photo by Walter Griba

“We’re being led by the nose into a hideous jungle of signs. They’re outsized, outlandish, and outrageous. They’re desecrating our buildings, cluttering our streets, and — this is the final indignity — blocking our view of some of the greatest scenery in the world,” says Tom Ardies in “Let’s Wake Up from Our Neon Nightmare,” Vancouver Sun, 1966.

03. Owl Drug neon sign detail photo by Walter Griba

Curated by Joan Seidl and designed by Resolve Design, Neon Vancouver/Ugly Vancouver reaches into the riches of MOV’s historic neon collection to resurrect some of the city’s former sign magic. Signs on display show the lost art of neon, and include long-time favourites like the Regent Tailors, Owl Drug, and the Drake Hotel, complimented by recently acquired signs such as Clark’s Beauty Salon (Main Street) and the Blue Eagle Café (East Hastings Street). Visitors can also enjoy the Smiling Buddha in the History Galleries. This gritty, urban side of Vancouver’s past is also explored through the photography of Walter Griba, which is on public display for the first time.  The exhibition runs Thursday, October 13, 2011 through Sunday, August 12, 2012.  To learn more about the exhibition, visit the MOV’s website.

By Elisha Barlow

Glassblowing continues to be in high demand at the Haliburton School of The Arts (HSTA)!  HSTA is renowned for its outstanding programming with its fully equipped, state-of-the-art glassblowing studio overlooking Glebe Forest in Haliburton, Ontario.  Certificate programs, week-long courses and one-day workshops have opened the doors to students from all over Canada and the US who have enjoyed many hours of artistic exploration in this creative wonderland.

In 2011, the Glassblowing Certificate continued to run at full capacity and is delivered from January to April each year.  Mature and young students alike come to explore the processes of design and fabrication of art glass. The glass studio provides the perfect environment for students to immerse themselves in the manipulation and exploration of hot glass.  Design, colour theory, drawing and art history for glass creates a strong foundation for exploring glassblowing and cold working techniques.  A portfolio course completes the program, so that students have the tools to continue their studies or apprentice.  Excited for the opportunity of completing two college semesters in just 15 weeks, students immerse themselves in the world of hot glass with enthusiasm.  Many have planned to return for more certificates in the areas of Blacksmithing, Ceramics, Drawing & Painting, Photo Arts, Fibre Arts, Jewellery, Sculpture, and/or Digital Image Design.

Students who wish to further their studies can enrol for the full-time Visual and Creative Arts Diploma (VCAD) where they can apply their glassblowing certificate to their diploma credits as their specialization option.  For many students, this will provide a college arts diploma in just 12 months of study in 2 years. And the learning doesn’t end there!  Articulation agreements with Sheridan, Emily Carr, Nipissing, Wayne State, and OCAD University remove barriers for artistic growth and provide pathways for Fleming Graduates who wish to continue to grow and flourish as artists and in related art fields.

Even the youngest of students get the opportunity to explore their creative options by attending HSTA. In the spring of 2011, students from an area high school visited for a day of immersion into glassblowing under the tutelage of qualified artist faculty. The chance to explore glassblowing at such a young age is an incredible experience for younger students and will feed the fire of further glass explorations.

Summer never sleeps at HSTA.  Up to 3500 students attend 350 summer week-long courses in just six weeks. The glass-related courses run with waiting lists and can range from Iron & Glass Collaborations, Glassblowing I and II, Glassblowing Style & Form, as well as Beadworking and one-day workshops.  Workshops provide an opportunity for the sceptical to attend and explore without a full week commitment.  Registration must be done as early as possible after March 1st to ensure a spot in these high demand courses.  Glassblowing continues to be one of the more popular choices for residents, seasonal visitors and tourists alike with many of the 2011 programs running close to or at capacity.

The Glassblowing programs are delivered in small class sizes and taught by successful artists like Andy Kuntz, Sheila Mahut, Terry Craig, Sue Rankin, Paulus Tjiang, Tanya Lyons, and Brad Sherwood.  Students delve into the opportunity of being mentored by real working artists and capturing various artistic perspectives that can be applied to their own success. Visit hsta.ca for more information.

Soufflage de verre à l’Ecole des Arts d’Haliburton

Elisha Barlow

Le soufflage de verre est toujours très demandé à l’Ecole des Arts d’Haliburton (HSTA)! HSTA est connue pour son excellent programme et ses ateliers de soufflage entièrement équipés du matériel dernier cri et donnant vue sur la forêt de Glebe à Haliburton en Ontario. Des diplômes, des cours durant une semaine entière et des ateliers d’une journée se sont ouverts aux étudiants venus de tout le Canada et des Etats-Unis qui ont apprécié les nombreuses heures d’exploration artistique dans ce paradis de la créativité.

En 2011, le Diplôme de Soufflage de Verre continue de tourner à plein régime et est accordé chaque année de Janvier à Avril. Etudiants jeunes ou adultes viennent explorer les procédés de design et de fabrication du verre artistique. L’atelier verrier fourni l’environnement parfait aux étudiants pour s’immerger dans la manipulation et l’exploration du verre à chaud. Le design, la théorie des couleurs, le dessin et l’histoire de l’art pour le verre collaborent à créer une base solide pour l’exploration du soufflage de verre ainsi que pour les techniques de travail du verre à froid. Un cours de création de portefeuille complète le programme, pour que les étudiants aient les techniques nécessaires afin de poursuivre leurs études ou leur apprentissage. Ravis de pouvoir couvrir deux semestres de cours en à peine 15 semaines, les étudiants s’immergent dans le monde du verre à chaud avec enthousiasme. Beaucoup ont prévu de revenir pour obtenir des diplômes supplémentaires dans les domaines de la Ferronnerie, des Céramiques, du Dessin et de la Peinture, de la Photographie, de l’Art du Textile, de l’Orfèvrerie, de la Sculpture et/ou de l’Infographie.

Les étudiants qui souhaitent poursuivre leur études peuvent s’inscrire au cours plein temps pour obtenir un Diplôme en Arts Visuels et Créatifs (VCAD) dans lequel ils peuvent utiliser leur certificat en soufflage de verre pour gagner des crédits dans les options de spécialisation. Pour beaucoup d’étudiants, cela va leur fournir un diplôme des Beaux Arts pour seulement 12 mois d’études en 2 ans. Et l’apprentissage ne s’arrête pas là! Des accords parallèles avec Sheridan, Emily Carr, Nipissing, Wayne State et l’université OCAD font sauter les barrières du perfectionnement croissance artistique et fournissent des passages pour les diplômés de Fleming qui souhaitent approfondir et devenir des artistes dans leur domaine de prédilection.

Même le plus jeune des étudiants a l’occasion d’explorer ses possibilités de créativité en venant au HSTA. Au printemps 2011, les étudiants d’un lycée non loin sont venus faire une journée d’immersion dans le soufflage de verre sous la tutelle d’artistes qualifiés. La chance de pouvoir découvrir le soufflage de verre étant jeune est une expérience incroyable pour les étudiants les plus jeunes et va donner envie d’en savoir d’avantage sur le verre.

L’été ne dort jamais au HSTA. En 6 semaines à peine, 3500 étudiants environ participent à des cours d’été d’une semaine. Les cours liés au verre ont une liste d’attente et sont répartis entre Collaboration Fer & Verre, Soufflage de Verre I et II, Soufflage de Verre Style & Forme, ainsi que la création de Perles de Verre et des ateliers d’une journée. Les ateliers sont l’occasion pour les sceptiques d’assister et de découvrir sans obligation de devoir s’engager pendant une semaine entière. L’inscription doit être faite le plus tôt possible après le 1^er Mars pour s’assurer une place dans ces classes très demandées. Avec la plupart de ses cours tournant à plein régime ou presque, le soufflage de verre reste un des choix les plus populaires des résidants, visiteurs saisonniers et touristes confondus.

Les cours de soufflage de verre sont donnés dans des classes de petites tailles par des artistes brillants tels que Andy Kuntz, Sheila Mahut, Terry Craig, Sue Rankin, Paulus Tjiang, Tanya Lyons et Brad Sherwood. Les étudiants profitent d’être accompagnés par de véritables artistes de métier pour pouvoir saisir les perspectives artistiques variées qui pourraient s’appliquer à leur propre succès. Visitez hsta.ca pour plus d’informations.

By Brianna Strong

The Alberta College of Art + Design is a place of creative engagement and active discourse.   What is cultured inside the walls of the school propagates in the greater dialogue of contemporary art and culture.  Keeping pace with this perpetual growth and conceptual variation is ACAD’s glass program with Natali Rodrigues, as she enters her third year as Head of the Department.  I sat down with Natali to summarize and discuss the most notable catalysts and changes the glass program has observed over the past two years. 

Some exciting shifts and transitions among the faculty include Tyler Rock pursuing his Masters in Visual Arts at the University of Southern Australia in Adelaide.  Beginning his thesis in January 2011, Tyler continues to investigate notions of the artifact, both as a ‘blip in the scientific process’ and as ‘a phenomenological event in craft objects’.  He is expected to return to ACAD in September 2012. Since the beginning of this academic year, Robert Geyer is the new Head of Glass at Bowling Green University in Ohio.  At ACAD, recent changes to the academic structure have brought Marty Kaufman back from being Assistant Dean to full time teaching.  Additionally, the glass program will undergo a curriculum review under the ‘guiding philosophy of enhancing the individual voices of students’ through the development of technical skill and unique methodologies.

Rachael Wong, “Push and Pull”, Digital Print, 20” x 30”, 2009

There have been major contributions to this fundamental enrichment of creative and critical studies from the Visiting Artists, Visiting Lecturers and Artists in Residence that have cultivated their practices at ACAD.  The 2010 – 2011 school year was marked by Visiting Artist Catharine Newell’s ‘powder drawings and paintings with light’ that were supplemented by explorations of social interaction with respect to swarm theory.  Trish Roan visited to investigate temporality, poetics and the interconnectivity of all things.  And Judith Schaechter’s stained glass workshops and compelling approach to the creative process continued to enrich the program.   From January to May of 2011, Natali Rodrigues secured the ultimate in creative choreography for ACAD with the addition of internationally renowned artists and educators Jane Bruce and Kirstie Rea, as the Rawlinson Visiting Artist and as the Visiting Lecturer, respectively.

Jane Bruce “Ghost House” Kilnformed glass, cold-worked, Caithness stone, 30.5 cm x 18 cm x 30.5 cm 2008, Private Collection (Photo Credit: Steven Ball)

At the present date, the glass program continues to thrive with Jane Bruce returning as the Rawlinson Visiting Artist, and with the core faculty that have not yet been mentioned, Lisa Cerny, Jim Norton and Mark Gibeau.  Also making an impact on the ACAD community is Visiting Lecturer, Rachael Wong and Artist in Residence, John Brekke.  John’s generative and sophisticated approach to ‘mark-making on the luminous surface’ is furthering conversation about image making in glass and cross-cultural influences of design and the decorative object.  Concurrently, distinguished glass artist Rachael Wong carries her multifaceted experience as an instructor into her first teaching role at a post-secondary institution.  With the perspective-making experience of teaching she plans to continue her analysis and synthesis of unique time, space and experience with respect to the art object, and in relation to the viewer.  Rachael establishes a dialogue with a viewer using the art object as a way of prompting “a cyclical process of experience …where experience manifests experience.”  The concept of a self-perpetuating correspondence between artworks and viewers appears to be essential, inside and on-site of the walls of ACAD and in an on-going navigation of contemporary art and culture.

Rachael Wong, “Flat Depth”, Blown glass, paint, 120” x 228” x 16”, 2011

By Jillian Best

As usual, this summer at Red Deer College was hot! We welcomed many talented glassblowing instructors to our campus for Series Summer School of the Arts, which ran from June 10 to August 13.

1. a. Robert Lewis, Icarus, 30 x 18 x 18 cm, 2007, b. Katie Brown, blown glass, 2011

The roster included some old favourites (I don’t really mean “old”…) like Katie Brown, Ilona Lindsay, Jeff Holmwood, Lisa Samphire & Lisa Cerny, and Edward T. Schmid as well as some new friends like Robert Lewis and Joanne Andrighetti.

2. Katie Brown during her 2011 workshop at RDC, Photo credit: Lani Ledingham

Our program included 5-day classes for beginner to advanced students, as well as rental opportunities for experienced glassblowers. I’m told we have some of the least expensive rental rates in the country, so keep us in mind next year if you’re looking for a place to work.

3. Edward T. Schmid, Violet Blue Helixes, blown glass

In addition to glassblowing, we also have a flameworking program. Leah Duperreault, Amy Waldman-Smith, Sherry Bellamy and Loren Stump were all here for at least a week this summer to teach beginner, intermediate or advanced classes. And we even had Mrs. President herself, Jamie Gray, on campus for two weeks of fusing.

4. Loren Stump, Madonna, lampworked glass

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped to make RDC’s glass program a success over the last few years. We have had incredible technicians, Alana Biffert, Paul van den Bijgaart and Cailey Buye who have kept the studio running smoothly and provided excellent support for our instructors, students, and fabulous instructors. I’ve really enjoyed the experience of being involved in this program and am grateful for the opportunity to work with such incredible people.

5. Glass Technician Paul van den Bijgaart in the RDC Hot Shop, 2011, Photo credit: Lani Ledingham

As we begin to plan our program for next summer, we’d like to know: What do YOU want to see offered at RDC? Which instructors would make you hop in your car and venture to central Alberta?  We’re always open to suggestions so if you’ve got any great ideas, please let us know!

6. Leah Duperreault, Skull, blown borosilicate, 2010

Call for Instructors: Red Deer College is currently accepting applications from dynamic and talented instructors to teach 2 and 5 day classes during Series Summer School of the Arts 2012.

Please include the following with your submission: full name and contact information, course proposal (outline, description for brochure), description of tools/facility requirements, references from previous teaching positions and a minimum of 3 images of your work.
Direct all inquiries to:

Red Deer College Continuing Education
100 College Blvd
Red Deer, AB   T4N 5H5
403.356.4900
continuingeducation@rdc.ab.ca
www.rdc.ab.ca/continuingeducation

Travail du verre à chaud au Collège Red Deer

Jillian Best

Comme toujours, l’été au Collège Red Deer aura été chaud! Nous avons accueilli sur notre campus de nombreux et talentueux professeurs de soufflage de verre pour le Programme de l’Ecole des Arts d’Eté, qui a pris place du 10 Juin au 13 Août.

1. a. Robert Lewis, Icarus, 30 x 18 x 18 cm, 2007, b. Katie Brown, blown glass, 2011

Au menu, quelques vieux habitués (vieux n’étant qu’une expression bien sûr…) tels que Katie Brown, Ilona Lindsay, Jeff Holmwood, Lisa Samphire & Lisa Cerny et Edward T. Schmid ainsi que de nouveaux collaborateurs comme Robert Lewis et Joanne Andrighetti.

2. Katie Brown during her 2011 workshop at RDC, Photo credit: Lani Ledingham

Notre programme comprenait 5 jours de cours pour les classes débutantes et avancées ainsi que des possibilités de location pour les souffleurs de verres expérimentés. Il semblerait que nos coûts de location sont les moins chers du pays, alors si jamais vous cherchez un endroit pour travailler l’année prochaine, pensez à nous!

3. Edward T. Schmid, Violet Blue Helixes, blown glass

En plus du soufflage de verre, nous offrons aussi des cours de travail au chalumeau. Leah Duperreault, Amy Waldman-Smith, Sherry Bellamy et Loren Stump étaient toutes présentes pendant plus d’une semaine cet été pour enseigner aux classes débutantes, intermédiaires et avancées. Et nous avons même reçu Madame la Présidente en personne, Jamie Gray, sur le campus pour deux semaines de fusing.

4. Loren Stump, Madonna, lampworked glass

Je profite de cette occasion pour remercier tout ceux qui ont participé à la réussite du programme verre du RDC ces dernières années. Nos remarquables techniciens Alana Biffert, Paul van den Bijgaart et Cailey Buye ont fait tourner l’atelier et ont fourni un précieux soutient à nos fabuleux enseignants et étudiants. M’impliquer dans ce programme fut une expérience enrichissante et je suis reconnaissante d’avoir pu travailler avec des personnes si formidables.

5. Glass Technician Paul van den Bijgaart in the RDC Hot Shop, 2011, Photo credit: Lani Ledingham

Maintenant que nous planifions le programme pour l’année prochaine, nous aimerions savoir. Qu’aimeriez VOUS voir au programme du RDC? Quels enseignants vous feraient courir à vos voitures et vous déplacer jusqu’au milieu de l’Alberta? Vos suggestions sont toujours les bienvenues donc si vous avez de bonnes idées, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter!

6. Leah Duperreault, Skull, blown borosilicate, 2010

Appel aux enseignants: le Collège Red Deer est en ce moment à la recherche de candidats dynamiques et talentueux pour enseigner dans les cours de 2 jours et de 5 jours pendant le Programme de l’Ecole des Arts d’Eté 2012.

Merci de joindre à votre candidature votre nom complet et vos coordonnées, le cours que vous proposez (brève présentation et description pour la brochure), description des outils/matériels nécessaires, les recommandations pour vos précédents postes d’enseignement et 3 images minimum de votre travail.

Merci d’envoyer toutes vos requêtes à:

Red Deer College Continuing Education
100 College Blvd
Red Deer, AB   T4N 5H5
403.356.4900
continuingeducation@rdc.ab.ca
www.rdc.ab.ca/continuingeducation

By Larissa Blokhuis

If I hadn’t been born in a city with a glass school, I would definitely still be an artist, but I wouldn’t be a glassblower.  Like most people, before I tried glassblowing, I didn’t realise it was something you could do as an art form.  In grade school it seems like the basic experiences you can have consist of many 2D techniques, and only ceramics for 3D.  (I’ll be happy if I’m wrong about that for your former school.)  Ceramics have never really appealed to me and I couldn’t have known what else was available until it was offered.  Because glass is offered at the Alberta College of Art and Design, and because I was lucky enough to be born in Calgary, I am a glassblower.  After art school, when I moved from Calgary to Vancouver, I lost the potential for a support system of former teachers and my graduating class.  My support system when I arrived consisted of Jill Allan.  She’s a good support system, but she’s only one woman. 

One-Woman Support System: Jill Allan getting ready to blow glass at Rogue Wave Glassworks, Photo credit: Larissa Blokhuis

Public interest

People are interested in glassblowing in Vancouver.  Working in New-Small and Sterling, a gallery specializing in Canadian glass on Granville Island, I have been approached countless times by people who want to know more about how and where they can study glass.  Then I see the disappointment as they learn that there is no glassblowing school in Vancouver.  They can’t afford to or don’t want to uproot their whole lives to go to Calgary for a BFA or Oakville for an Advanced Diploma.  With all the post-secondary schools in the lower mainland, many people expect to be able to learn to blow glass without re-locating.

Even for those looking only for an expensive hobby, there are few options.  New-Small and Sterling offers a two-day weekend course, the only course offered in Vancouver that I am aware of.  (If you are in BC and offer a course, let me know!)  If somebody wants more than two days, they must leave Vancouver for a weeklong summer course at Red Deer College or a three-week intensive at Pilchuck.  Andrighetti Glass offers only short flameworking courses, beginner to intermediate.  The last option is to find a glassblower willing to do private lessons.  There are a few glassblowers who offer such opportunities, but they are often in the Greater Vancouver area rather than Vancouver proper, and they are not centrally organised and can be difficult to find.  Two such teachers are Malcolm Macfadyen and Jeff Burnette.  As for cold construction and kiln-forming techniques, I have never heard any discussion of where one might learn fusing or casting or any other technique not dependant on a hotshop. 

It’s all about who you know   

That phrase means more and more to me the longer I stay in Vancouver.  With its well-established art scene and hordes of artists moving here to make it big every year, Vancouver doesn’t need to advertise its opportunities to attract people.  And it often doesn’t.  Many opportunities in Vancouver are only available if you already know the people you’re trying to meet and impress.  Without a school to serve as a central point for glass artists to perform and attend demonstrations and lectures, I find many of us do not network or meet face-to-face in groups frequently enough for my liking.  With a school present, we could all get to know each other a little better and help each other find opportunities.  With enough glass artists working side-by-side to require organisation, we would have an easier time creating our own opportunities. 

If I had not got a job at New-Small and Sterling, I would not have known where exactly to look to meet other glass artists in BC.  The BC Glass Art Association provides some opportunities and involves local artists, but I often feel that we are quite spread out and sometimes share no history.  If we were all sharing information at a school, we would build a common base of knowledge and history.  As well, the BCGAA is run by volunteers, which means that members must focus on other jobs for income first and BCGAA involvement second or third.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the BCGAA get-togethers, and I will be excited to see and be involved with more of them.  A glass school in Vancouver would be a great place for established BCGAA members to meet potential new members. 

The fact is that glass artists primarily come together wherever there is equipment available.  Starfish was the type of location that brought glass artists together to create a community.  There is a community around New-Small and Sterling, but it could be bigger.  Vancouver needs a public hotshop/coldshop to bring us together, but the cost of utilities and the price to rent land in Vancouver is too high.  If the hotshop were incorporated into a school the cost could be covered.

What is it you’re making?

With a place to work and meet, artists would have better access to the constructive criticisms of others, something I miss from school.  There is no regular forum for glass artists to get interested in what others are doing and to discuss ideas.  Critiques from friends are helpful, but they can lack the objectivity of a colleague from your studio or school.  In a school environment, it is not presumptuous to question somebody about very specific technical details and concepts regarding what they’re making.  With many glass artists asking questions and sharing information, each individual would have more opportunity to improve the quality of their work and try new techniques.  As well, if a glass school were attracting visiting artists, there could always be new influences available.  It is always beneficial to watch others work, to see what is successful and to provoke thought about why things are done one way or another.

Jim Norton Demo: One of Jim’s demos at ACAD circa 2006, Photo Credit: Larissa Blokhuis

If I lived in a city with a glass school, I would probably try to teach/work there.  There is a chance to grow my career as an artist in Vancouver, but I also need to think about secure housing (which means secure income) and health benefits in the future.  I also have to think about improving my techniques and practises, and that includes taking more courses.  I will have no option but to leave Vancouver and its thriving art scene, internationally known galleries, and tourist dollars to do so.

Every year I meet enough Vancouverites who want to try glass that they could easily fill two semesters’ worth of continuing education courses.  As in every city, there are young artists thinking about what direction they want to take.  If glass were an option in one of the many art programs available here, some of them would be glass artists too.  Vancouver has attracted some amazing glass artists, and it’s time for the city to start producing them as well.

Lately I’ve been thinking.  I had a formal art education at the Alberta College of Art + Design which culminated in a BFA, but I’ve been pondering if/how my studio practice would be different if I’d never gone to school.  How necessary is art school training to a successful studio practice, I wonder.

Workshop tools ready to go for Cappy Thompson’s class, North Lands Creative Glass, Photo Credit: Grace MacBeath

Canada has only a few schools where you can receive formal training in working with glass (you’ll read about these and the people who go there in the excellent articles in this issue).  And, if you want to go on and get a Masters in our craft, you have to cross the border or go even further afield.  That’s the formal route; exciting, adventurous … pricey!  However, there are other options for education.

There is no shortage of ways you can get short-term, intensive training with lower time/cash investment, often where you live or not too far away.  In the case of the on-line lessons offered by companies such as Delphi Glass, His Glassworks, Paragon Kilns, and Bullseye Glass, to name only a few, you don’t even have to get out of your jammies to learn some stuff (see links for these below).  But when it comes to short-term investment in learning, much as I love the don’t-leave-your-comfy-chair options myself I’m also a big fan of getting out the suitcase and making my way to somewhere else.  This summer I was fortunate enough to attend the Bullseye Conference in Portland, Oregon, teach at Summer Series at Red Deer College and assist in the studio at North Lands Creative Glass in Scotland.  I didn’t require a degree to do any of these things, had a great time and, need I say it, learned a lot!

Hotshop action, North Lands Creative Glass, Photo Credit: Mieke Groot

It’s pretty clear, then.  Pursuing the formal degree is one option but certainly not the only one.  Let’s see, ways to get educated without going to college:

• Strike out on your own; be self-taught (admittedly, this works better for cold or warm glass processes than for glassblowing).  Talk to other glass artists about how-to.  We’re pretty good at freely sharing what we know.  Read all the glass-related books, journals and magazines you can get your hands on.  Just begin.
• Attend short-term workshops or classes.  Glass conferences are particularly great.
• Seek out a local studio that gives classes and try a couple.
• Network with other artists in your field of interest.  Join your provincial craft council and keep your GAAC membership current.  Seek out glass-related groups on-line as well as via social networking such as Facebook, Linked-In and Twitter.  Like it or not, on-line action is the wave of the future so catch it and ride!
• Find on-line courses and teaching offered by glass supply companies and independent studios.  Much of it is free.
• Volunteer to assist at a class given by an artist whose work you admire.
• Apply for residencies.

Collaborative work for Michael Rogers’ class, North Lands Creative Glass, Photo Credit: Sean Corcoran, The Art Hand, Ireland

Some of the best glass artists I know haven’t set foot in academic art institutions.  They love and respect the material, have disciplined practices, and consistently offer interesting and well-crafted work.  And I’m not talking about hippies here (I love hippies so don’t send me hate-mail).  Many of these folks have had college and university educations in other fields and chose, at some point, to pursue glass art as well as or instead of those.  Some support their families with their studio practice.  That doesn’t always happen with those who’ve gotten a formal fine arts degree, alas.

Now, just in case you’re thinking I’m anti-art college, let me assure you that’s not the case at all.  For me, the value of going to art school was not so much in learning technique as it was about learning to think critically.  I needed that, and that alone propelled my practice both forward and in previously unimagined directions.  I loved being a student at ACAD.  Loved it.  Hated to leave.  But some of the best and most valuable things I’ve learned that have driven my practice forward I’ve gotten from conferences, workshops and good old-fashioned networking.

Fused work from Michael Rogers’ class, North Lands Creative Glass, Photo Credit: Sean Corcoran, The Art Hand, Ireland

Here’s the bottom line.  Learning is learning.  It’s an ongoing quest for enriching knowledge that can be formal or not, have a long time-investment or not, cost a bunch or not.  You get to call the shots.  One thing is clear and on this I know we can agree: we love glass and can’t seem to get enough of learning about it.  So just figure out what that means for you and go get it.  Happy searching!

Links for on-line teaching:

Delphi Glass: http://www.delphiglass.com/page/knowledgeBase

His Glassworks: http://www.hisglassworks.com/cart/cart.php?m=content&page=16

Paragon Kilns: http://www.paragonweb.com/Kiln_Pointers.cfm

Bullseye Glass: http://www.bullseyeglass.com/education/bullseye-kiln-glass-education-online.html

Dernièrement je me suis posée la question. J’ai suivi une formation scolaire artistique au Collège des Arts et du Design d’Alberta pour obtenir un BFA, mais mon activité en atelier aurait-elle été vraiment différente si je n’avais jamais étudié? Jusqu’à quel point est-il vraiment nécessaire de suivre formation scolaire en arts pour réussir son travail en atelier, voila ce que je me demande.

Workshop tools ready to go for Cappy Thompson’s class, North Lands Creative Glass, Photo Credit: Grace MacBeath

Au Canada, quelques écoles seulement offrent une formation scolaire dans le domaine du verre (vous pourrez en savoir plus à propos de celles-ci et de leurs diplômés dans les excellents articles de cette édition). Et si vous choisissez de vous perfectionner avec un Master dans cette discipline artistique, il vous faudra alors passer la frontière ou même aller encore plus loin. C’est le parcours classique; excitant, aventureux… et cher! Cependant, il y a d’autres possibilités pour étudier.

Les options ne manquent pas pour faire des formations court terme ou des stages intensifs avec un budget en temps et en argent plus limité, souvent à côté de chez vous ou non loin. Et avec les cours rendus accessibles en ligne par certaines entreprises telles que Delphi Glass, His Glassworks, Paragon Kilns et Bullseye Glass, pour n’en nommer que quelques unes, plus besoin même de retirer votre pyjama pour apprendre des choses (voir les liens ci-dessous). Mais lorsqu’il s’agit d’investir à court terme en matière d’apprentissage, et bien que j’apprécie beaucoup moi-même la solution du sans-quitter-son-bon-vieux fauteuil, je pense qu’il est bon de sortir de chez soi et découvrir des nouveaux lieux.  Cet été, j’ai eu la chance de participer à la Conférence de Bullseye à Portland dans l’Oregon, d’enseigner aux Sessions d’Eté du Collège Red Deer et d’aller assister l’atelier verrier de North Lands Creative Glass en Ecosse. Rien de tout ça n’a nécessité un diplôme pour pouvoir y aller, et pourtant j’y ai vraiment passé du bon temps et en plus, est-il vraiment nécessaire de le préciser, j’ai beaucoup appris!

Hotshop action, North Lands Creative Glass, Photo Credit: Mieke Groot

Cela me parait donc assez clair. Obtenir le diplôme classique est une possibilité mais certainement pas la seule. Voyons les autres moyens d’apprendre sans passer par l’université.

• Se débrouiller par soi-même, faire de l’auto apprentissage (il est vrai que ça marche mieux pour la pratique du verre à chaud et à froid que pour le soufflage de verre). Discuter avec d’autres artistes verriers à propos de leur savoir-faire. Nous sommes plutôt doués pour partager nos connaissances. Lire tous les livres qui traitent du sujet du verre, récupérer des journaux et des magazines. Bref, se lancer tout simplement.
• Participer à des ateliers ou à des cours occasionnels. Les conférences sur le verre sont particulièrement intéressantes.
• Chercher un atelier local qui donne des cours et essayer d’en suivre pour une durée déterminée.
• Se construire un réseau avec d’autres artistes dans même domaine. Rejoindre le conseil artisanal régional et penser à renouveler son adhésion au GAAC. Faire des recherches en ligne sur les groupes liés au verre ainsi que via les réseaux sociaux tels que Facebook, Linked-In et Twitter. Que cela plaise ou non, l’action sur Internet est la vague du futur, il faut saisir l’occasion et surfer dessus!
• Trouver des cours et des apprentissages en ligne proposés par les fournisseurs de verre et les ateliers indépendants. La plupart sont gratuits.
• Se porter volontaire pour aider dans des classes données par un artiste dont vous admirez le travail.
• Postuler à des séminaires.

Collaborative work for Michael Rogers’ class, North Lands Creative Glass, Photo Credit: Sean Corcoran, The Art Hand, Ireland

Certains des meilleurs artistes verriers que je connais n’ont jamais mis un pied dans les institutions académiques d’art. Pourtant, ils aiment le matériau et le respectent, ont des pratiques disciplinées et font tous des œuvres intéressantes aux techniques raffinées. Et je ne parle pas de hippies là (j’adore les hippies alors pas de mails haineux SVP). Beaucoup de ces personnes ont étudié d’autres matières au collège et à l’université puis ont choisi à un moment de suivre l’enseignement du verre en plus ou en parallèle des autres cours. Certains parviennent à faire vivre leur famille grâce à leur propre atelier. Pour autant cela n’est pas toujours le cas de ceux qui ont obtenu des diplômes d’art, hélas.

Non pas que je sois une anti-diplôme, je vous rassure. Pour moi, l’intérêt d’aller en Ecole des Arts n’est pas tant dans l’apprentissage technique mais dans la faculté à enseigner le développement de l’esprit critique. J’en ai eu besoin, et rien que ça m’a poussé de l’avant et m’a fait prendre des directions que je n’aurai pu imaginer auparavant. J’ai adoré étudier à l’ACAD, vraiment adoré, et j’étais désolée de devoir en partir. Mais il est vrai que parmi les choses les plus intéressantes et les plus chères que j’ai pu apprendre et qui m’ont poussée de l’avant, certaines furent acquises au cours de conférences, d’ateliers et grâce au bon vieux réseau.

Fused work from Michael Rogers’ class, North Lands Creative Glass, Photo Credit: Sean Corcoran, The Art Hand, Ireland

Tout ça pour vous dire au final qu’apprendre, c’est apprendre. C’est une quête constante qui vise à enrichir ses connaissances, qu’elles soient scolaires ou non, à long terme ou non; onéreuses ou non. C’est à vous de le décider. Une chose sûre à ce propos et sur laquelle nous tomberons tous d’accord: on aime le verre et on en redemande! Alors voyez ce que cela représente pour vous et allez y. Bonne quête!

Liens pour les cours en ligne:

Delphi Glass: http://www.delphiglass.com/page/knowledgeBase

His Glassworks:  http://www.hisglassworks.com/cart/cart.php?m=content&page=16

Paragon Kilns:  http://www.paragonweb.com/Kiln_Pointers.cfm

Bullseye Glass:  http://www.bullseyeglass.com/education/bullseye-kiln-glass-education-online.html