March 17, 2005 • THE JOURNAL

Glass Act

By Nancy McManis

THURSDAY, MARCH 17,2005


It was a “glass act” at Louisville Art Gallery Saturday as owner Steve Sherman debuted its newest show.

Sherman said the first show of 2005 is called “Glass Act” because all the participating artisans use glass as their medium. The gallery took on a totally new look for this reception. Pedestals stood tall with blown glass vases and glass sculptures shining under the lights like a blooming flower garden. The exhibit also included paperweights, jewelry, stained glass windows, kaleidoscopes, hand blown hanging and table lamps plus functional pieces such as reverse-painted plates and stemware. Prices varied from $15 to $600.

Gerry Klein volunteers in the gallery during openings and also displayed her glass art at this show. She has been designing and fabricating stained glass artwork since 1979 and sometimes incorporates sandblasting, fusing, painting and overlays into her designs. Working with different forms of glass in diverse situations for more than 20 years has given her varied knowledge and experience. She has won numerous local, state, regional and national competitions and is currently a judge for state competitions. In 1990, Klein was commissioned by the White House Communications Agency to produce a crest dedicated to Air Force wives. Besides the Louisville Art Gallery her work is available at Crystal Forge, Studio No. 102 and the Passageway Gallery in the Old Market.

Kay Young specializes in one-of-a-kind surface designs on the back of clear glass. She is a nationally known glassware painter and sells her unique designs in her “Swerve Gallery” in Blair as well as trade shows all over the country. She ships to numerous stores all over the United States and Canada. Young spent some time in the East Bay area in San Francisco and now resides in Blair with her twin 17-year-old sons, Will and Sean who help her paint and create in the gallery she calls “The Store Slightly Off Center.”

Displayed by artist lames Bond is reverse-painted glass with an Asian influence. He uses calligraphy to enhance his wall hangings, which reflect light because of the process he uses. James has a studio in southwest Omaha and contributes his success to his father who took up painting at the age of 50 for health reasons. Milton Bond of Connecticut taught his son James to paint at a young age. James specializes in custom art finishes such as faux painting in commercial or residential venues.

Ed Fennell has been blowing glass for over 27 years and is a Crystal Forge founder. He displayed many of the blown glass vases in this show. He describes glass blowing as ”playing with a fire.., like when you want to keep poking it with a stick.. .only you are creating something at the same time... it just draws you in.” Fennell has a studio in the Hot Shops in Omaha where he offers three-day workshops to show students the techniques of glass blowing. After they see how it is done, he encouages students to be creative and try things. Ed has an “open shop” concept that allows students to come in and work as a team and learn from each other as well as work on their own. Three of the artists at this show learned their skill at Ed's workshop: Tyler Barry, Matt Shrader and Chris Kemp.

Barry, 13, was the youngest glass blower at this show. He attends Lewis and Clark Middle School and has been blowing glass for four years. He visited Ed Fennel's studio with his father who has contracted Ed to do a project for the church. Barry was facinated with all different techniques and started going to the studio every week. He has sold vases, lamps, sculptures and paperweights among other items he has created. Tyler was accepted to take part in a workshop at the Corning Glass Museum in Corning, N.Y., and has a job offer there after he turns 18 years old.

Shrader is also a protege of Fennell’s and has been blowing glass for two years. After seeing the Joslyn Art Museum's showing of Dale Chihuly’s blown glass, Matt decided to sign up for a glass blowing class at Crystal Forge - part of the Hot Shops. He had functional pieces as well as sculptured glass lamps and vases in this show. As did Barry, Matt was also invited to attend the workshop at the Corning Glass Museum and will be returning in May to work in their learning center for the summer.

Chris Kemp is another glass blower who learned his art from Fennell. He sells his items In Fennell’s shop and was very excited to be showing his creations at this, his first “Real Show.” Kemp lives in Council Bluffs and got a flyer about Ed’s classes in glass blowing. He signed up for one class and immediately got hooked. Though glass blowing is Kemp’s hobby and passion, he has worked with jewelry carved stone and hand forged iron. He learned the art of blacksmithing from the Prairie Blacksmith Association group who meets at Loken Forge. Chris says "they show you now to do a few things and then I learned on my own by hammering around the house.” Blacksmitning requires a combination of brute strength and endurance with the touch of sculpting. He likes the look of iron and glass together and created a hanging lamp, which sold at the gallery’s artist reception. Actually the customer has contracted Chris to make another matching lamp so she can have a pair.

Other artists displaying at the reception were Bonnie Vodehnal and Mary Kolar. While art lovers strolled through the gallery, live music was provided by David Barger from Griswold, Iowa who has been playing acoustic guitar for 38 years and Jerry Steinke of Omaha who has been playing base guitar for over 40 years. The duo moved to the “Good Times” bar after the artist reception. You may also hear them at Trovato’s, Upstream and Henry’s in Omaha.

Photos and story by Nancy Mc.Manis