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Jim Loewer, Glass Artist and Teacher

By: ornamento.blog October 15, 2015October 13, 2015

Art, glass, South Philadelphia, teachingArt, glass, glass blowing, Jim Loewer, Lampworking, South PhiladelphiaLeave a Comment

I met glass artist and teacher Jim Loewer earlier this month on the POST tour of 1241 Carpenter Street. He studied fine art in college and graduated with a degrees in teaching and painting but always had a fascination with glass. After spending a few years as a teacher, however, he decided to follow his passion and became a full-time glass artist. He taught himself by trial and error and now he is a a successful wholesaler of his work. If you take a look at his on-line gallery, it’s not hard to understand why.

Even better, Jim has decided to go back to his roots as a teacher and give lessons in lampworking and glass blowing! Here are some pictures of him demonstrating how to make a multi-colored glass sun catcher.

Jim’s torch.

He has heated the end of a glass punty, added colors and has blown it out.

Plunging on a graphite surface

After some additional steps he breaks the disk off the glass punty and puts it the kiln.

The finished product.

Jim offers regularly-scheduled pendant design workshops, and glass blowing lessons for one or two people. You can contact him here for more information. Click here to read some reviews from people who have taken his classes. And check out his Etsy and Facebook pages.

Joyce Scott Exhibit: Maryland to Murano

By: ornamento.blog April 16, 2015April 13, 2015

Artbeading, craft in america, glass blowing, Joyce Scott, Murano, narrative, QuiltingLeave a Comment

I was fortunate to be in New York City at the same time an exhibit of Joyce Scott’s work was on display at the Museum of Art and Design.
Part retrospective and part new work, Maryland to Murano included Scott’s work from the 1990’s and newer work including some breathtaking glass pieces she created on the island of Murano with the help of the resident artisans.

Scott is a story teller and and she uses beads to convey her message the way a writer uses words or a dancer uses gestures.

Or the way a quilt maker uses fabric! Think about it. Scott’s Mother, Elizabeth Talford Scott, was a quilt maker whose fabric compositions were rich with narrative and personal and historical references. The cultural and familial influences definitely carried over from Mother to Daughter.

So why did Joyce Scott go to Murano? The exhibition catalog says that Scott did glass blowing at Pilchuck, Haystack Mountain School of Craft and Penland, and that her three dimensional bead work continued to increase in size. I suppose a stint in Murano was the next step. Scott has always stuck me as an artist looking to push in new directions. She seems fearless.

The work she produced in Murano is was not like anything I have seen before. Take a look at Buddha. The black and white of the face appears to be melted beads, The outer bead work is textural. The rest of the piece is blown glass. It is slightly larger than life sized and I could not take my eyes off of it.

Fortunately for us, we can see Scott talk about her work her influences and watch her in the process of creating similar pieces on this video clip from the PBS Series Craft in America