American Glass Guild conference

The fourth annual conference of the American Glass Guild (AGG) has come to a successful close. Over 90 attendees from seven countries enjoyed presentations by international experts Robert Jekyll, Dr. Browyn Hughes, Rachel Phillips, Barbara Derix and AGG senior advisor, the inimitable Patrick Reyntiens. Tom Krepcio, Dan Maher and Don Burt provided excellent discussions of computer aided design and modern methods of creating screened painted images and etched details on stained glass. Ellen Miret explained to attendees how to select glass from the sketch, making sure to consider site specific issues such as elevation, compass direction, surrounding architecture and foliage as well as interpretation of design. Ellen, Dan Tom and others discussed the importance of color, texture and opacity when determining what glass best fits the composition.

Rachel Phillips, Jacquelann Killian, Diane Rousseau, Ardra Hartz and Sister Diane Couture provided historical perspectives and discussed the extant glass of the southeast while Neal Vogel and John Clark lead us through an interesting local project involving intricate lead overlays. There were spirited panel discussions about glass painting and business practices featuring Gene Mallard (painting) and Donald Samick (business) as well as other presenters.

Jonathon Thornton, professor of objects conservation at Buffalo State College, led a full day workshop on the conservation of glass at BSC ranging from the use of adhesives to x-ray spectrometry. Other hands on workshops includes the venerable Helmut Schardt teaching dalle de verre; Kathy Jordan presenting a china painting approach to flesh painting; computer aided design by Joseph 2bears and J. Kenneth?s airbrush painting techniques. Walking and bus tours of local glass installations were led by Barbara Krueger.

The Joe Barnes Lifetime Achievement Award for Service was awarded to AGG senior advisor, Nicolas Parrendo. The award recognized both his great artistry in glass and his many years of educating and encouraging new artists. A new award for this year, the AGG Lifetime Achievement for Conservation was given to Mel Greenland. Mel completed over 170 major commissions during his career in addition to setting the tone for conservation in the United States. The AGG auction raised $ 14,000- towards the James Whitney Memorial Scholarship Fund and the general fund for AGG. To date, the AGG has awarded 25 scholarships to deserving students to further their education in stained glass and related arts.

Mark your calendars now, the 2010 AGG conference will be held in Detroit July 22 ? 26. Initial plans include a hands on five day restoration workshop led by Art Femenella and an all day workshop by Dan Maher and Tom Krepcio teaching how to easily convert photographic and drawn images to a form that can be transferred to stained glass via silk-screening and photo-sandblasting. The AGG will continue to provide the highest quality, entertaining educational experiences possible; we look forward to seeing you all in Detroit.