December 2021 Newsletter
Ongoing projects, classes in the shop, art in the world and more!
Art in the Shop: Candle Holders
Introducing two new candle holder designs: Blue Flame and Peppermint Twist. Each piece of these candle holders are hand measured, cut and arranged. After they are fused together in a kiln. The glass is then slumped over a mold to create a spot for a candle.
Artist in the World: Ted Sawyer
Ted Sawyer is a Minnesota born artist who lives and works in Portland, Oregon, where he is the Director of Research and Education at Bullseye Glass Company. He makes paintings entirely out of glass that are often intended to be seen from both sides, changing substantially from one side to the other, and often not immediately appearing to be made of glass at all. To do so, he applies colored glass powders to sheets of clear glass and fires them in a kiln, usually through many iterations, often resulting in panels with pitted and distressed surfaces. This is what he has to say about his work:
There are many types of beauty. Some are dazzling and easy. Some are less obvious or even difficult; they require us to move slowly or even change our frame of reference – to move away from what we know, towards what we might reject. Glass itself is often expected to be beautiful in an easy way. I am interested in cultivating the rougher aspects of its beauty because they more faithfully represent the types of beauty that I find most compelling. Such beauty is apprehended when what is broken becomes whole in a new way, when it is achieved both despite and because of imperfection.
is (front and back), 2011, fused glass
Photo credit is Jerry Sayer. Images courtesy Bullseye Projects.
The work is meant to be seen from both sides
Upcoming Classes at Potekglass
Hearts Pendant Class
Intermediate*
February 13th
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
3 hour class
Cost: non-member $95 / member $85.50
Experiment with mixing and extending colors. Leave with your own heart-shaped pendants out of Borosilicate glass just in time for Valentines Day. Never worked with color before? This 3-hour intermediate class will get you there! Techniques covered will include striking a color as well as mixing and extending color and shape with tools and a torch.
*Note: Participants must have taken a Torch Try-iT! class or have other previous torch work experience in order to register for this class.
Kiln Try-iT!
Beginner
January 22nd
10:00am - 1:00pm
3 hour class
Cost: non-members $95 / members $69
Simple to start endless in its potential; kiln-forming is to glass what conducting is to instruments. In this course students will learn to cut patterns out of sheet glass, make frit, and work with a variety of glass formats by combing them in the kiln to produce a glass ring dish.
Free Glass Friday - Torch & Kiln
Dec 17th
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
$35 non-members / $25 members
This includes 4 hours on our equipment with a set of student tools and free glass.
The glass provided for the kiln session is all Bullseye baby! Italian soft glass, borosilicate glass and bullseye glass available for torch session!
Retail in the Shop: Gift Certificates
Try-iT Gift Certificates are now 27% off! From now until December 20th Certificates will be $69. Take advantage of this deal to participate in a beginner class, or give the gift of glass working experience!
Gift Certificates never expire and can be redeemed on any Try-iT! class offered by Potekglass
Bullseye Pricing Notice
Bullseye is raising prices on January 14th by 9.6%. Now is a good time to stock up on frit before the New Year! Potekglass will be ordering 5lb jars of frit. Email us at info@potekglass.com by Dec 20th with your frit order!
