How do you get to BIG?

Lani McGregor · Post by **Lani McGregor** » Sat May 10, 2003 9:29 am

Not being ones to learn from experience, we jumped onto another project this year introducing architects to kilnformed glass. This time â€“ and we thought the chandeliers last year were a challenge! â€“ they were given the direction to create interior screens.

We urged them to use modules rather than designing 12-foot x 8-foot panels. Some actually followed the directions. The results are just coming into the galleryâ€¦. I thought they might be interesting to visitors hereâ€¦ how do you get BIG out of many smaller parts?

The results (or most of them) can be seen at:

http://www.bullseyeconnectiongallery.co ... ShowsID=59

Some of the screens are utterly incredibleâ€¦. such as the 27 ft long composition of almost 1400 tiles threaded with cable that runs around the gallery on a track. In fact, this piece could be made in a QuickFireâ€¦ if you had about 5 years to spare.

My question for the ranks: whatâ€™s the biggest modular work in kilnformed glass that youâ€™ve ever seen? Where? How?

-Lani

Tony Smith · Post by **Tony Smith** » Sat May 10, 2003 10:14 am

Very nice work Lani... I guess this proves that BIG can be beautiful.

The largest kilnformed modular piece that I have seen to date is one of Patty Gray's fused and slumped chandeliers. It is 15 ft across and 40 inches high. It's made up of a large number of panels and weighs several hundred pounds. http://www.pattygray.com/architectural/015_15.jpg

Tony

Carol Craiglow · Post by **Carol Craiglow** » Sat May 10, 2003 12:36 pm

Hi Lani...wow, thanks for sharing those really cool pieces! Would love to see the show in person.

I'm not sure if you mean modular...composed of smaller pieces, or modular....it can be moved. But the largest kiln-formed works I've seen are by David Ruth (http://www.davidruth.com). His website shows some of the large fused (combination of furnace glass and kiln cast) panels that he makes that are absolutely gorgeous. He's devised a way to make them look like underwater scenes. I think they are about 6 ft by 8 ft by 1 - 2 inches. He shipped over 20 of them to Japan 2 years ago for a big project. He also makes really large table tops.

And Paul Housberg's work (http://www.glassproject.com) that I've seen in the virtual sense are pretty large...and beautiful! They are not movable (as far as I know) but comprise many smaller parts.

Fun thread...Carol

Paul Tarlow · Post by **Paul Tarlow** » Sat May 10, 2003 1:36 pm

Cool stuff Lani - thanks for posting.

I find interesting the relative lack of bold, primary colors -- even as smaller design elements (except for the red in the Lamb Design Studios design) across all the work.

Not a good or a bad thing -- just suprising.

- Paul

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Sat May 10, 2003 1:47 pm

Lani

Great work. The collaborative process is so cool, or should I say hot.

I'm looking forward to the day when you can make a large sheet 10mm thick with no seeds. The most important element being no seeds. With a solid sheet, we can kiln carve, paint with frits, drill, and temper. The drilled tempered glass can be constructed using spider hardware. They are making huge skyscraper walls using this technique. One trick will be to get a company to make scaled down spider hardware. I met some Italians who seemed open to making custom stuff.

As I think about it perhaps the same thing can be accomplished by resin laminating fused glass on to drilled tempered glass, allowing for the holes to be oversized so the washers are clamping down on the tempered glass, or something.

Lani McGregor · Post by **Lani McGregor** » Sat May 10, 2003 2:00 pm

Paul Tarlow wrote: I find interesting the relative lack of bold, primary colors --
Not a good or a bad thing -- just suprising.

- Paul

Paul, I wasnâ€™t surprised at allâ€¦.contemporary architects â€“ with a few rare exceptions like Mexicoâ€™s Legorreta or Barragan â€“ seem to avoid color like the plague. We were actually thrilled with Suenn Ho who used the pale tint glasses in wonderful ways to gradate color across a field.

What also is not evident in the photo of the tracking bead-like screen is that COLAB also gradated pale color from one end of that screen to another in fabulously subtle waysâ€¦. it just doesnâ€™t show in the image.

But RED? Youâ€™re right â€¦ not many takers!

L.

Lani McGregor · Post by **Lani McGregor** » Sat May 10, 2003 2:04 pm

Bert Weiss wrote:One trick will be to get a company to make scaled down spider hardware. I met some Italians who seemed open to making custom stuff.

Bert, the collaboration with the steel company was one of the coolest parts of this project. Columbia Wire and Iron is the company that Gehry used to do the Experience Music Project and that Calatrava used on the Milwaukee Art Museum.... true artists in fabricating all the big or small connectors and wildly curving tracks that the architects demanded here.... I wish we had more close up pics on stuff.... but soon.... L

Amy Schleif-Mohr · Post by **Amy Schleif-Mohr** » Sat May 10, 2003 7:10 pm

Lani McGregor wrote:
Bert Weiss wrote:One trick will be to get a company to make scaled down spider hardware. I met some Italians who seemed open to making custom stuff.

Bert, the collaboration with the steel company was one of the coolest parts of this project. Columbia Wire and Iron is the company that Gehry used to do the Experience Music Project and that Calatrava used on the Milwaukee Art Museum.... true artists in fabricating all the big or small connectors and wildly curving tracks that the architects demanded here.... I wish we had more close up pics on stuff.... but soon.... L

Lani,

Have you been to the Calatrava? It's truly an awesome building! It's amazing to see it open, with the lake right there, from the bridge.

Amy

charlie holden · Post by **charlie holden** » Sat May 10, 2003 8:10 pm

Lani,

Great work. Interesting project. It's always fun to see the different ways people interpret a theme. I would love to have the chance to work with a metal fabricator like that.

You know, I think Bullseye should take this opportunity to sponsor a field trip for Warren Langley's upcoming architectural glass design class at Pilchuck. Yeah, that's the ticket, ... an overnight field trip, ... to the opening reception, ... with a barbecue, ... at a swimming pool, ... with lots of girls....

You could write it off!

ch

Carol Craiglow · Post by **Carol Craiglow** » Sat May 10, 2003 8:37 pm

an overnight field trip, ... to the opening reception, ... with a barbecue, ... at a swimming pool, ... with lots of girls....

...and boys

...sounds like a great idea, huh Lani?!

Carol

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Sat May 10, 2003 10:34 pm

The biggest down under project I know of was a piece for world expo 1988.

Sergio redigali, title , Wave, estimated size by volume 45 ton float glass... this was laminated not fused work though.

Jackie Beckman · Post by **Jackie Beckman** » Sun May 11, 2003 3:10 am

charlie holden wrote:Lani,

Great work. Interesting project. It's always fun to see the different ways people interpret a theme. I would love to have the chance to work with a metal fabricator like that.

You know, I think Bullseye should take this opportunity to sponsor a field trip for Warren Langley's upcoming architectural glass design class at Pilchuck. Yeah, that's the ticket, ... an overnight field trip, ... to the opening reception, ... with a barbecue, ... at a swimming pool, ... with lots of girls....

You could write it off!

ch

Oh my Charlie, this IS a good idea!! Best one I've heard in a while!

Lani McGregor · Post by **Lani McGregor** » Sun May 11, 2003 10:59 am

charlie holden wrote:
You know, I think Bullseye should take this opportunity to sponsor a field trip for Warren Langley's upcoming architectural glass design class at Pilchuck. Yeah, that's the ticket, ... an overnight field trip, ... to the opening reception, ... with a barbecue, ... at a swimming pool, ... with lots of girls....

You could write it off!

ch

Sheesh, is our conference room bugged? This has already been proposed to Warren.... our architectural show is up during his class, Ted is his TA, we could/would do this... but it's up to the students.... are you one??? Who else is taking Warren's Pilchuck class? Carol?

Girls? Pool? BBQ? Dunno..... Doonesbury is already poking enough fun at education in Oregon.....

Lani

PS. Warren is doing a talk on his work in architectural kilnformed glass here in Portland at the gallery on Wed, May 21, 7 - 9 PM.... but it's an RSVP and lots of folks have already booked in.... so if you're interested, email me asap: lanimcgregor@bullseye-glass.com....

Who's Warren Langley? Mr. BIG in Australian kilnformed glass. And a delightful guy......

Carol Craiglow · Post by **Carol Craiglow** » Sun May 11, 2003 1:10 pm

No, I'm not attending his class...I did consider it tho and would have if I could have scraped up a spare $2875!!

I did hear him speak at GAS in Corning 2 years ago and it was fascinating. Some of the architectural kiln work he and his company have done is phenomenal.

Here's a link to a description of the Pilchick class for people who are interested: http://www.pilchuck.com/educational_pro ... (1.5).html
It links to five images of his architectural work.

And here's his website with some more photos: http://www.warrenlangley.net

The barbecue sounds great tho. I think Doug R. said he might be taking the class??

Carol

charlie holden · Post by **charlie holden** » Sun May 11, 2003 1:18 pm

Lani McGregor wrote: Sheesh, is our conference room bugged? This has already been proposed to Warren.... our architectural show is up during his class, Ted is his TA, we could/would do this... but it's up to the students.... are you one??? Who else is taking Warren's Pilchuck class? Carol?

Yeah, I'm one of the students. Came off the waiting list very late in the game. I'm going to have to pinch my pennies for a long time as a result, but you can't let these chances slip by.

Can't wait,

ch

Lani McGregor · Post by **Lani McGregor** » Sun May 11, 2003 1:37 pm

charlie holden wrote:
Lani McGregor wrote: Sheesh, is our conference room bugged? This has already been proposed to Warren.... our architectural show is up during his class, Ted is his TA, we could/would do this... but it's up to the students.... are you one??? Who else is taking Warren's Pilchuck class? Carol?
Yeah, I'm one of the students. Came off the waiting list very late in the game. I'm going to have to pinch my pennies for a long time as a result, but you can't let these chances slip by.

Can't wait,

ch

Charlie, that's great! Doug Randall is also in the class... and I understand that besides our own Ted Sawyer, the other TA is Henriette Derix (I'm assuming of the big German architectural glass firm by the same name: http://www.derix.com) whose specialty is glass painting.... so it should well be worth all those pinched pennies ... I really hope you all can get down here ... sometime during the class ... I'll keep lobbying for it with Warren. â€“ Lani

Doug · Post by **Doug** » Sun May 11, 2003 2:52 pm

Charlie...It'll be great to see you at Pilchuck, as it has all the makings of becoming an amazing class. I hear you about pinching the pennies, especially after spending over 3k for the class and close to double that for taxs all in the same month.

The cash drawer is getting pretty skimpy. See you on the 24th....Doug

Jeri D · Post by **Jeri D** » Wed May 14, 2003 9:17 am

WOW!!! They are wonderful and now more torture for a relative newbie. I now also want to build a big shop with a really big kiln! I , (if i could afford it!) could easily be an equipment collector. More toys , more fun-mostly.
Thank you for sharing and thank all the artists as well for great work.

Jeri Dantzig,admiring still more

WarmGlass.com

How do you get to BIG?

How do you get to BIG?

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